The Life Before Maria
by Cassandra Lee
Summary: How in the world did the other governesses act? Did they treat the children well, or were they all kind of cold-hearted. This looks at them all up to and maybe past Fraulien Maria thru the eyes of Lisel.
1. We know nothing about a frog, fraulein

A/N: Okay, so, I got the idea for this story while watching the end of "The Sound of Music." It will eventually come up to either the day Fraulien Maria and Captian Von Trapp get married, or to even further, like in Vermont. If someone knows the name of the rest of the children that Maria and Georg(did I spell his name right?) had, please put them in your review. Thanks to my wonderful beta, Blondemomo! You rock, thank you so much!

Disclaimer: I do not own "The Sound of Music." That belongs to Rodgers and Hammerstien and maybe 20th Century Fox. I don't know, does it? Either way, I am, sadly, not making a profit. Enjoy!

* * *

Thirteen days after my 12th birthday, my mother died. Five days after my mother's funeral, my father introduced my four sisters, ages 9, 6, 3, and 1, and my two brothers, ages 10 and 7, to our very first governess, Fraulien Anna. She was about the same age as my mother. Although she knew how to deal with my youngest sisters, Marta, 3, and Gretel, 1, she had no idea how to deal with myself or my other siblings. So the responsibility came to me. But it was Louisa, at the time was 9, who first suggested playing tricks on Fraulien Anna.  
  
Brigitta, who was the most talkative, and the one most likely to get people to talk, found out that Fraulien Anna was terrified of frogs. Friedrich, 10, and Kurt, 7, went frog-hunting, and found the perfect frog. It was quite large, and rather slimy. For weeks before we placed the frog in her bed, Louisa practiced climbing things. We had found that by climbing the terrace outside, we could reach Fraulien Anna's room.  
  
Finally the day had come. It had been months since Anna had arrived and we declared today "Toad Day." Fraulien Anna was out with Marta and Gretel in the garden, walking around, trying to get Gretel to talk. Kurt waited outside Fraulien's locked door, while Louisa climbed up and through the window to unlock the door from the inside.  
  
Dinner was quite usual; very silent, and very boring. But every time one of us looked at each other, we had to look away, afraid we would give ourselves away. Later that night, as I helped Brigitta brush out her braids, we heard a scream. Louisa rushed in, warning us to look innocent. Suddenly Fraulien Anna rushed into our room, holding a dead frog in a handkerchief, held between her two fingers.  
  
"HOW IN THE WORLD DID THIS FROG," which she said with utter disgust and horror in her voice, "END UP IN MY BED!"  
  
"Fraulien Anna, we don't know anything about any frogs. Brigitta and I dread frogs and Louisa hasn't been down at the stream forever." I told her, putting a look of shock on my face.  
  
"Where are the boys?" she demanded.  
  
"Why, in their room of course! Why would they be in here?" Louisa asked, looking up from her book that she was reading, Little Women.  
  
Fraulien Anna stomped through the door into the connecting room between our rooms. And though we had a rather large house, Frau Schmidt, our housekeeper, came upstairs, into our room.  
  
"Girls, whatever is the matter with Fraulien Anna?" She asked, poking her head in the door.  
  
"She seems to be disturbed from finding a frog in her bed, Frau Schmidt. Nothing to be bothered with. Why don't you go back to bed?" Louisa answered.  
  
At that time, Fraulien Anna stomped back into the room, pulling Friedrich by the lapels of his night clothes, Kurt following, looking scared and quite miserable.  
  
"Ah, Frau Schmidt." She said, walking into the room, looking perplexed. "Is something wrong?"  
  
"I was just about to ask you the same, dear. Are you alright? The girls said that you found a frog in your bed." Frau Schmidt asked, looking concerned.  
  
"Oh, no, Brigitta must be making up stories again. You know how prone she is to do that." She said, trying to cover.  
  
"Yes, and her stories are lovely, but Louisa is certainly not prone to that sort of thing. Nor Lisel for that matter. They're feet are planted too firmly on the ground."  
  
"Yes, well, maybe they're just amusing Brigitta's imagination. You know how children can be."  
  
"Yes, I do." Frau Schmidt looked at Fraulien Anna curiously, but didn't say anything else. "Well, girls, you had better get to bed. You too boys. I just got word that your father will be home tomorrow afternoon."  
  
"Oh, good! Hurray!" Were the cries heard throughout the room, from all five of us.  
  
"Good night, loves." And Frau Schmidt backed out of the room, and closed the door.  
  
As soon as the door clicked shut and Frau Schmidt's footsteps couldn't be heard, Fraulien Anna turned on us.  
  
"I don't know which one of you put the frog in my bed. But I do know that Brigitta is the one who first found out how terrified I am of them." She started to approach Brigitta, who was still sitting in front of me. I stood up, brush in raised hand, and stood in front of Brigitta.  
  
"You will NOT touch my sister. Nor any of my other sisters. Or my brothers. You were brought here to look after us and to assist us in our lessons and to make sure we come to no harm. By making sure we come to no harm, which also means that you make sure that you don't lay a finger on us. Am I understood?"  
  
I didn't know what I would do to her if she still attempted to come towards us, as everybody had crowded behind me, but whatever I would have done, I didn't have to. She stopped moving towards us, and looked around.  
  
"Well, then. I'll just have a talk with your father tomorrow when he comes home. But I would tread carefully, all of you." She said, and walked out.  
  
I let go of my breath, which I hadn't realized I had been holding. My siblings looked at me in awe, as though I was some sort of hero, which to them, I guess I was. I took a breath to steady myself and looked back at them.  
  
"Friedrich, Kurt, are you alright? Did she hurt you?"  
  
"No," Friedrich answered. "She attempted. She almost hit me, but thought better of it, I suppose. She didn't approach Kurt."  
  
"Good. Now, go back to your room and go to bed. If you want to leave a small lamp on, I'll come get it in a moment."  
  
Kurt nodded and rushed over to give me a hug.  
  
"There, there, go to bed, Kurt. I'll be there in a moment."  
  
Kurt and Friedrich rushed thru the rooms and hopped into bed. I could see a lamp situated between their two beds.  
  
"Come on." I said, turning to Louisa and Brigitta. "Time for bed."  
  
They nodded and ran to their beds. I went over to Brigitta, who was still quite shaken by the previous moment's happenings.  
  
"It's okay, Brigitta. I won't let her hurt you." I said, pulling the covers up to her chin, and kissing her forehead as I remembered our Mother doing.  
  
"Lisel? How long will Father be back for?" She asked quietly. Father had been home twice before since he had hired Fraulien Anna, both times only for a day or two.  
  
"I'm not sure Brigitta. But I'll be sure to tell him about what happened with Fraulien Anna."  
  
She sat up suddenly. "You won't tell him it was my fault, will you?" she cried.  
  
"No! It was not your fault, Brigitta. We all had a part in this. If we do get punished, I'll make sure it's equal to the part we played. You did nothing wrong, darling. Go to sleep."  
  
"Lisel?" Louisa whispered. "Will you sing a song for us?"  
  
Nobody had sung any song since Mother had died. It just didn't seem right.  
  
"Of course. What do you want me to sing?" I asked, kneeling between their two beds.  
  
"Mother's special song." Brigitta cried out.  
  
She meant 'Edelweiss,' a song from Mother's childhood, when she was growing up just inside the Austrian borders.  
  
"Of course. Let me see if I can remember the tune." I had to think for a moment. It had been quite a while since we had heard the song, as Mother had been dreadfully sick, and couldn't sing for a while before she died.  
  
"Edelweiss, edelweiss,  
Every morning you greet me  
Small and white,  
Clean and bright,  
You look happy to meet me  
Blossom of snow  
May you bloom and grow  
Bloom and grow forever  
Edelweiss, edelweiss,  
Bless my homeland forever."  
  
By the time I had finished the song, both Louisa and Brigitta were fast asleep, Louisa gently snoring. I pulled the covers up on both and walked over to the boys' room. Both of them were also fast asleep, although none of them were snoring. I took the lamp that was one their dressing table, and went back into the connecting room. I sat down at the table and thought of what to say to Father tomorrow when he called us in about the frog.  
  
I knew he wouldn't believe that we had nothing to do with it. His sea training helped him to see right through that. And the little ones wouldn't be able to lie to him, not as well as I could. We needed to get someone on our side. But who? Certainly not Fraulien Anna. Or Franz, our butler. He seemed too cold. And then it hit me. Why not ask Frau Schmidt to help us?  
  
I knew she would most certainly be up, even at this hour. So I put on my dressing robe, grabbed the lamp that had been in the boys room, and crept down the hall to the room that Frau Schmidt slept in when she stayed the night.

* * *

A/N: Don't forget to review! That little button down there is calling you! Even if it's a flame, I take those and use them as help. Thanks! Ciao!


	2. But Father

**A/N:** Thanks to my wonderful betas AmandaSarah and Blondemomo! You guys kick beta-butt! LOL!

**DISCLAIMER:** Sadly, again, I make no profit. But I was reading that the real Maria didn't make a profit off of the movie either, so when you think about it, we're both in the same boat!

**REVIEW REPLIES:**  
_Kayryn:_ Thanks for the names! And the website was cool too. That's where I saw that Maria didn't make a profit.  
_AmandaSarah: _Thanks for betaing!  
_WriterP2:_Thanks for the names! The one thing that cracks me up is that the real Brigitta has the same name as Harry Potter's owl! I love it!  
_AlineBanhara:_ Yea, I was gonna make Kurt snore as well, but two snorers in a row seemed a little much. Thanks for the spelling. I got the names off of my soundtrack and my eyesight is REALLY bad even with my contacts. I don't do well with the fine print. :P And with the whole uber (that is what those two dots are called, right?) thing, I couldn't find the symbols in my Word page. But I know where it is now! And no, I don't feel offended. I thrive on stuff like that! And no, I'm not Italian. I am a 100% American girl, thank you very much! GO MICHAEL PHELPS! 6 GOLD MEDALS!! WHOO-HOO!!!! May I ask why you thought I was italian?  
_Shannah:_ Here's the update!  
_Jessica97: _Thanks for reading!  
_Kanderson: _Thanks for reading.

**To everybody: **Thanks for giving me the names! And if you have any ideas of what the names of the other governesses should be and what different tricks the kids should play (I have some ideas thanks to my beta!), let me know! Ciao guys!

* * *

After talking with Frau Schmidt, we agreed that it would be best if I could talk to Father before Fräulein Anna. If I couldn't, I would take the full blame. 

That night, I didn't sleep very well.

Around 7 o'clock, Frau Schmidt came to wake me up to let me know that my father should be home in about half an hour.

As expected, I was nervous. My father was a friendly man when happy. But depended on his mood, he could be quite gruff. As I sat in the connecting room, eating a small bowl of porridge, Brigitta started to yell in her sleep.

"Mother! Mother! Mummy! Liesl!"

I ran into our room, straight for Brigitta's bed, who was sitting up bed, tears running down her cheeks.

"Sh, Brigitta. It's alright. I'm here. Sh."

Louisa slowly woke up, rubbed her eyes, and looked at Brigitta. "Brigitta?"

I shook my head and kept rubbing her head, telling her I was there, everything was alright. After she had calmed down a little bit, I had her and Louisa go into the connecting room and eat some porridge. As I sent them in, I could hear Gretl start crying. I sighed, and started into the boys' room to wake them up, hoping the governess would come in soon. When the boys were up and Gretl was still crying, I went into the small nursery, off to the side of our room.

I found Gretl stand up at her crib, crying, a diaper full of poo, and Marta just waking up.

"Good morning, Gretl. Good morning, Marta," I said, picking her up, and helping Marta out of bed, with a fake smile. "Where is that Fräulein?" I muttered, looking around. "Marta, why don't you go out with the rest of your sisters and brothers?" She sleepily nodded. "Will you do me a favor? Will you ask Friedrich to come in here?" Again, she sleepily nodded.

While, I waited for Friedrich, I gagged and changed Gretl's diaper. It was dirty work, and Fräulein wasn't here to do it.

Friedrich walked in, his feet still dragging in his slippers.

"Marta said..." yawn "...you wanted to see me."

"Yes. Guess who wasn't here to change Gretl's diaper."

Friedrich was still half asleep. "Who?"

"Who looks after Marta and Gretl, Friedrich?" I was exasperated and Friedrich knew it was starting to show.

"Where is Fräulein Anna? She's usually here to wake us up." He asked, looking around, after thinking for a while.

"That's what I'd like to know. Do you know when the last time I changed a diaper was?" I complained, holding Gretl in my arms, rocking her to calm her down. I started out to the connecting room.

As I walked out, I could hear Fräulein Anna's voice.

"...Marta, today, we're going to walk down by the river. And you two..." I knew she was talking to Louisa and Brigitta. "...will be working on whatever you do."

I stopped Friedrich, and held my finger up to my lips, signaling to him that we should be quiet.

"Kurt, you need to work on your math." She said offhandedly.

I looked at Friedrich, who looked at me, shocked. He knew Fräulein Anna could be harsh, but he had never heard it from this angle before.

"You'll be happy to know that I talked to your father just before I came in here. He is _very_ interested to hear about how a frog ended up in my bed."

"Fräulein Anna." I walked out, holding Gretl in my arms, Friedrich following me.

"Oh, Liesl. Yes, your father said that he wanted to talk to you. He's very interested in your side of the frog story." Holding her hands out for Gretl, she smirked.

"Yes, and I'm sure he will be very interested in how you treat my siblings." I said, handing Gretl to Friedrich, nodding at him. "Louisa, come back into our room. I'll help you make your bed."

"But, I al..." Louisa started to protest.

"Louisa, _come back into our room_." I said again, putting an emphasis on the words.

"Oh, yes, that, uh, new comforter is kind, uh, of confusing." She said, faltering for an excuse. I knew she had no need for it, as Fräulein Anna was trying to pull Marta's attention from the story Brigitta was telling her about a French princess.

Louisa and I walked back into our room, and I started to pull on her comforter, so that if Fräulein Anna did happen to walk in, we would have an excuse.

"Louisa, keep Gretl away from Fräulein Anna. I don't want her to feel she has anymore power over us. I'm hoping that after talking with Father today, Fräulein Anna won't be our fräulein anymore." I threw a mudurous glance at the wall and sat down on Louisa's bed.

"What are you going to say to Father?" Louisa asked, in awe, completely forgetting our cover, sitting down next to me.

"I don't know exactly. I just hope that all goes well." I said, looking through the doorway to see what Fräulein Anna was doing. Brigitta was still distracting Marta and Gretl was being teased by Friedrich and Kurt. "I'm going down as soon as Frau Schmidt comes up for me."

A knock interrupted our conversation, as Frau Schmidt came in.

"Liesl?" Frau Schmidt entered the room, and looked around. She seemed to avoid looking at Fräulein Anna.

Louisa and I left our room, and went into the connecting room.

"Ah, there you are. Did you eat?" When I nodded, she smiled. "Good. Your father is ready to see you."

"Thank you, Frau Schmidt." I said my voice cracking. This would be the first time I had attempted any lie to my father or really talked to him since Mother's funeral. And that was over six months ago. "Remember what I told you Louisa. Tell the rest, alright?" She nodded, and I was pleased to see that Fräulein Anna looked puzzled at my somewhat cryptic message.

I walked out of the door, following Frau Schmidt, down the stairs, to the door of my Father's office.

When I was younger, Father always let me sit in his office and read a book or sometimes, just the two of us, he would show me pictures of his friends from his days at sea. Very often, he would read me some of his many volumes that he had collected from all over the world. Those were my favorite times because if I didn't understand something, he would always explain it.

I knocked on the door timidly, afraid of what would come.

"Come in." A gruff voice came from behind the door that sent fear thru my entire body.

I turned the knob slowly, trying to be as quiet as I could. That room always, to me at least, meant being quiet and respectful of the things in the room and the memory they held. As my father came into view, I saw him standing straight, with his back to the door, his hands behind his back, like he was a sailor standing at attention.

"Father? Frau Schmidt said you wanted to see me?"

"Are you asking me or telling me?" he said, still looking at the window. The window faced the gazebo that my father had built for my mother and Brigitta, both of whom loved to go out there together to read their own books.

"Both. Frau Schmidt said that you did, but I don't know if you really asked her." I boldly replied, holding my breath as I said it.

My father turned around and smiled slightly. "I'm glad to see that you still speak boldly."

"Thank you, Father." I let my breath out. Father was in a good mood today.

"How does everyone like Fräulein Anna?" he asked, turning back around again.

Maybe I had let my breath out too soon.

"Father..." I started.

"I was told that Fräulein Anna found a frog in her bed last night." He said, going to sit at his desk.

I tried to look at his face to get an idea of if I should attempt to lie to him, the ex-Navy captain, or tell the truth. Not looking up, he cleared his throat, as though telling me that I should definitely tell the truth.

"Yes, Father."

"And who put it there?"

After a pause and a deep breath...

"I did, Father."

Father looked up, surprise written on his face. "You? Liesl? Of all my children, you are the one I would expect not to play tricks on your elders."

"I know Father."

He looked me in my face. I tried to look away, but he walked over right in front of me, and took my chin, held it up, and looked straight in my eyes.

"I admire the fact that you are covering for your siblings. I respect that. Now, there seems to be more that you wish to tell me. Is everything alright?" He said, letting go of my face and sitting in one of the chairs in the corner. Those were the chairs that I always read in.

"Yes, Father."

"Well, come, sit down and tell me what's wrong." Father motioned to the other chair.

I ran over to the chair, sat down, and proceeded to spill the entire story to my father, about how Fräulein Anna tended to ignore myself and the older ones, about how this morning, Fräulein Anna wasn't there to get Gretl and Marta, and how I had to change Gretl's diaper.

By the time I had finished my story, my voice was cracking and tears were welling up in my eyes. "And, oh Father, please, just come home!"

Father stood up, and walked back over to the window. "Liesl, I can't."

"But why not Father? We need you! Gretl and Marta need a father! I need a father! And what about Louisa and Brigitta! Who's going to teach Friedrich and Kurt how to do whatever men do. I can't look after all of them! Oh, Father, plea..." I cried, tears freely streaming down my face.

"Liesl!" My father growled, turning around to glare at me.

I backed up, wiped my face, and tried to stop crying. I knew I had just gone too far.

"I'm sorry, Father."

"You may go now." Father turned around and looked back out the window.

I turned around and walked out of the room. As I went out the door, I looked back and saw my father wipe his face free of the tears that were falling down his face that he hoped I hadn't seen.

I softly closed the door and went back upstairs to the nursery, where my brothers and sisters knew nothing of how much their life had just changed by my one conversation with our father.

* * *

**A/N:** Review, review, review! You know that little button is calling you!!! BTW, I got that phrase "Are you asking or telling me?" off of the movie 'See Jane Date' on ABCFamily. Ciao! 


	3. Fraulein Anna to the beginning of an end

**A/N:** Thanks be to my beta, AmandaSarah, who kicks beta butt!! She catches all my errors! I heart you!!!

**Disclimer:** Again, I make no profit. But, Rodgers and Hammerstein for coming up with such a great movie! Did you know that Hammerstein's "Show Boat" was a tv show before it was a musical. My scholastic quiz teach gave me props for knowing who wrote the musical, though.

**Review Replies:  
**_AlineBanhara_ - I can never remember how to spell your name when I reply! Anyways...the whole thing at the end. It was how about he's not going to stay at home much anymore, because I always kind of pictured Lisel to act like her mother, and that would just kill Georg (did I spell that right?). Yea, I really liked that phrase, too. Probably why it stuck with me so much. No, my mom used to use "ciao" and I just caught on to it. I took two years of French in high school, but I'm still not very good with it. But I would love to learn Italian. I love those old romance languages. I can't stand German. Whenever you say "I love you," it sounds like you're threaten the person. Yuck! LOL. Thanks for reviewing!  
_Sprolick - _Thanks! Here's your update!  
_iluvwriting_ - Thanks! Here's your update!  
_Em_ - I'm glad. I know cliffhangers kind of suck, but...they do keep you hooked...right? LOL! Thanks for reviewing!  
_Shannah_ - Wish granted! I didn't like her either. But there's an even eviler one. Hehehe. But I hated writing her! She was TOO mean. Yuck!

**To everyone:** You guys rock! You actually read my work. And to those of you who read these...You rock even harder, guys!! Cuz, I never read these! sheepish grin Ciao, fleurs!!

* * *

Fräulein Anna left the next afternoon, only to be replaced the following morning by another. Her name was Fräulein Hedwig, which everybody thought was rather funny. She lasted for about three weeks, before getting fed up with finding different kinds of insects and creatures in her bed.

By the time Gretl was three, we had gone through five governesses and Father had spent less time at home then ever.

The routine was the same. The older ones (Friedrich, Louisa, and myself) would leave for upper school at the same time the younger ones (Kurt, Brigitta, and Marta) would leave for primary school. The six of us would stand in line, and kneel down so that Gretl could give us our good-bye hug or kiss, however she saw fit. She would then walk down to the end of the lane with us, and watch as we walked away, and waved until she couldn't see us anymore. At school, us older ones shared the same lunch time, while the younger ones had lunch together also. Marta was prone to hang to Brigitta, as she was rather shy at the beginning of the school year. But by the time the holiday break came around, Marta was eating lunch with her little friends, talking about the importance of being at primary school.

Mostly at lunch, I ate with my girlfriends, a few of us who had younger siblings that could grate on our nerves during the school day. I was most pitied because I had six younger ones, five of which went to school with me, who, as the girls tended to believe, would annoy me to no end. And while I didn't stop to prove them wrong, I didn't exactly admit it.

At times, when things with the governess were bad, Louisa, Friedrich and I would eat lunch together to think up some elaborate plot to trick her. Mostly it was Louisa and Friedrich who would come up with them. I was just the logical points behind them, always thinking of reasons to play the tricks when the time came to answer to Father. I was usually too busy looking at the new boy, who had just moved from Vienna.

His name was Rolf. And he was extremely good looking. All the girls swooned over him, except for me. I just looked from afar. Living with my father had taught me to hide my emotions, lest you get hurt. And I knew that boys could hurt me horribly. Hadn't I seen that with so many of the upper girls who cried when the boy they liked oh so much picked someone else to sit with?

So for a time, I kept my distance. That is, until he approached me.

It happened one day when I was eating lunch by myself. I had a test next hour and I wasn't quite sure of the material. The girls understood, as did my siblings, and most others left me alone, a few saying hello occasional. Someone said hello, and I muttered a quick hello back before becoming absorbed in the book again.

"Ready for that test next hour, I see?"

"Oh, no, not at all," I said, not looking up. I could hear that it was a male voice, but I just expected it to be a friend of mine, who would know to leave me alone.

"Do you need any help?"

I looked up into the bluest eyes I had every seen, ready with a witty reply that would send him packing. Rolf also had sandy blonde hair that could look like the pictures of the wheat that the Americans grew. Oh, how I longed to run my hands through it.

"I think so. Do you understand how to multiply fractions?" I said, blushing furiously.

"Quite well, actually. What part don't you understand?" He sat down and spent the rest of the lunch hour helping me figure out what I was to do the next hour.

At the end of the day, I saw Rolf leave with a younger girl, who looked to be about Brigitta's age.

"Go ahead; I'll be there in a second. I have to tell a friend something." I told my siblings as I watched Rolf walk the opposite way in which we did.

"Father will be mad if you're late for dinner, Liesl." Kurt warned, who always had food on his mind.

"I'll be alright. Go on." I said, keeping my eye on Brigitta who was watching me and where my line of sight was going very carefully.

The five of them went off, Friedrich pushing them along, looking back occasionally.

I ran over to Rolf, who, it appeared was talking to his little sister.

"Rolf?"

He looked up, startled. "Alice, run ahead. Tell Mother I'll just meet you at home."

"Don't be late, Rolf. Mother will be mad." Alice, which I assumed her name to be, ran on, looking back.

"Hello, how'd that test go in fourth hour?" He asked, looking down at his feet.

"Really well. That's what I came over to thank you for. My tutor wasn't quite explaining it well enough." I said, trying not to look him in the eye either.

"Who tutors you?" He asked.

"Our governess. My littlest sister won't start primary for two years, so my father still hires one for her. She tends to help us with our studies as well." I said, a little ashamed to be mentioning that my father still felt it necessary to hire a governess for me.

"Oh. Well, if you need any help, don't be afraid to ask." He looked behind him, to find his little sister, standing there, tapping her feet, looking impatient. "I should probably go. My mother gets terribly upset if we're late."

"Yes, I should probably go to. My little sister will be mad if she can't give us our kisses all together." I giggled, then mentally shook my head. Why had I said that?

Rolf smiled shyly and started to back away. "Well, good-bye. I'll see you in school tomorrow?"

I nodded, and ran to catch up with my sisters and brothers, a goofy smile plastered on my face the whole way home and for the rest of the week.

School continued, with two different governesses. By the time summer came around, Father was a little fed up with all our nonsense and having to come home to hire a new one. But every time the Fräuleins would go to say something, I would defend our case, telling him line after line.

Our sixth governess, Fräulein Helga, wasn't as bad as the others. She was worse. And we could tell just by looking at her dress.

By this time, I was fifteen, and had been going to upper school for quite some time. Kurt was just about to start his first year, and Marta was ready to the enter primary school as the only Von Trapp there. Poor Gretl, after having us back for the summer, was left alone for the last time and didn't know what to do with herself.

Nobody liked Fräulein Helga, especially little Gretl, who was stuck with her all day. Everyday when we would come home, Gretl would run down the street to meet us and tell us all about how mean Fräulein Helga was. Nobody really believed her. As much as we hated to admit, Gretl was prone to make up stories. And quite good ones at that. So when she complained about being pushed and slapped, no one really believed her.

Fräulein Helga made it clear to all of us that she didn't feel responsible for anyone older than Marta, which was, unfortunately, how most of them felt.

So, when Louisa caught the flu, around mid-November, the three of us (Louisa, Brigitta, and I) felt this was the perfect time to check on Gretl's stories.

And, again, unfortunately, they turned out to be true. Gretl, so said Louisa, would be slapped if she misspelled a word. Not on the face, but a harsh rap on the hands. If Fräulein Helga felt she didn't move fast enough when walking, she would push her, and it was a little more than a gentle shove.

We immediately went to Frau Schmidt, who, in case a severe case such as this did come up, was under orders from Father to immediately fire the governess and send for him as soon as possible.

Fräulein Helga was taken off the property to a hotel in Salzburg that very night by Franz. Along with Franz, she sent a letter to be posted out to Vienna, where Father often stayed with a good family friend, whom we fondly referred to as Uncle Max. He had been in our family, since before Brigitta was born. Uncle Max had been a friend of my mother's from her school days and had become quickly attached to my father and his wealthy ways.

That night, Frau Schmidt told us (Friedrich, Louisa, and I) all that had happened. It turned out, that Father had also told Frau Schmidt, that, until further arrangements could be made for a new governess should such a case happen, I would be in charge of my siblings, when we were all home from school. During the day, I would take Gretl into town, where she would go to the house of a friend of Frau Schmidt's, who had several children, around and younger than Gretl.

Also around this time, Rolf and I became extremely close. I had found that his father had died when he was 12, the same age I had been when my mother died. His mother worked in a tailor's shop. After school, he would walk Alice, his little sister to his mother's workplace, and then deliver telegrams around Salzburg. When he first started, it was only Salzburg, but soon he started to deliver telegrams outside of Salzburg. Like to the Von Trapp villa. Whenever he delivered a telegram, I would always sneak off and meet him in the gazebo. Nothing inappropriate every happened, but it was fun, just to sit there and talk.

Summer came and another governess stayed. Fräulein Martina was petite, but very polite. By this time, Father had installed a whistle system for us to answer to. Just like in the Navy. And Martina, as she told us, was one who always follows orders. Poor Father. He was so sad to see her leave.

"Such a polite, young thing," he had said at the dinner table one night, when Brigitta asked about her.

She was probably the longest staying governess. She stayed all through the summer, and well into the school year. She was nice, but she had no real personality. She was also engaged. By the time the summer of my 16th birthday came, we had come up with much more elaborate tricks. The last one, before our final governess, only stayed two hours. We told her wicked stories about poor Gretl being insane and sometimes biting. And Marta. Poor Marta. How she could never sleep with screaming or wetting the bed.

Of course, all these stories were false. But they kept her away.

And then, our final governess came. Fräulein Maria. And what a pleasant surprise she was.

* * *

A/N: Everyone knows what happens now! And if you don't...SHAME ON YOU!! Ciao!


	4. This is your new governess

**A/N: **I don't know what I would do without my wonderful beta, AmandaSarah! I heart you!!! Hey, if anyone has the script or feels like typing up the subtitles from a DVD for me, I would heart you **_FOREVER_**!!!!!! Did I put enough attention on forever? :P

**Disclaimer: **Again, no profit. And all the lines I used are from the movie (I had to sit there with my tape and watch 3 seconds, rewind, watch those 3 seconds again, and then go on to the next 3 seconds. Agh!) and only the thoughts are mine. Sorry guys, no little witty comment in here. I can't think of anything! :(

**Review Replies: **This has to be my favorite part of typing this thing up!  
_Amie - _I wouldn't just leave you guys hanging! I plan to take this to the limits! Maybe Vermont!! Or maybe just that last scene in the movie.  
_AlineBanhara - _Thank you! I've never been told that anyone forced themselves to stay up just to read my work. I'm so touched! Of course that wasn't the last chapter. I'll let you guys know when it is! I never took German, but oh well...what's your first language?  
_CamdenCav12 - _Thanks for reading!  
_Shannah - _I love the way you started that review..."that bum of a fraulein!" I love making people laugh. People always tell me I'm funny and I look at them as if they're from a different planet. I don't see myself as funny. Oh well, you do. Thank you!  
_iluvwriting - _I love your hyperness and I love your name!!

* * *

When Fräulein Maria came, school had been out for only one week. Rolf and I had been considered a "couple" by many of the girls at school. Gretl was ready to start primary school and Brigitta, who was in her last year at primary, had become quite the little book-worm, reading books that I hadn't been reading till I was Louisa's age.

And, again, life had fallen into a steady routine, day after day, only to be broken up by telegrams for Father. Frau Schmidt would come into my room (I had finally gotten my own!), wake me up, let me get dressed, and then I would go wake the others. Marta and Gretl jumped out of bed, while the other four usually took a good ten minutes to wake up.

If Father was home, a rare occurrence, we had breakfast with him. More often that not, he was in Vienna, with Uncle Max and a lady friend of Uncle Max, who we had yet to meet.

The day Fräulein Maria came, Father came home as well. Breakfast was quiet. Louisa hadn't been feeling well again. She had insisted on going frog-hunting in the rain two days before, and was getting the makings of a cold. She woke up after everyone was gone, and was late for breakfast. Father was not pleased. When Louisa ran in, Father just gave her a look that made me feel for her.

"Louisa..."

"I'm sorry, Father. But I'm not feeling well. I left a book out in the gazebo, two days, when it was raining. I went out to get, and I must have caught a cold then. I'm sorry, truly." She said, sitting down at her spot, looking Father in the eye.

"Louisa!" He barked.

She put her head down, meekly obeying.

"You will watch the time more closely in the future. When I say breakfast is to be at 7:30 a.m., I expect you to be here, in your seat, at 7:30 a.m. Not at 7:35. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Father."

"Good, now we may start on our breakfast, before it gets cold."

"Yes, Father." We all mumbled and picked up our forks to start on our eggs and fruit, which were getting chilled.

Father left the table in ten minutes, stating that he had work to do in his office in preparation for the new governess. Once Friedrich got up to make sure Father was in his office, we all started to talk.

"Louisa! Really, a cold from two days ago?" Kurt looked at her with disbelief, picking at Marta's fruit, who never ate much.

"Well, I do have a cold. But not from the book." Louisa said, taking a sip of her milk. "Besides, on the way down, I heard Frau Schmidt talking to Franz about the new governess." She smirked.

"Meaning that you were eavesdropping," Brigitta said accusingly, looking up from her book, which she hid underneath the table.

"So what if I was? It just means that we have a more accurate way of planning to get rid of her." Louisa said.

"Louisa. You realize that this governess is number 12. The one last week didn't even stay for dinner!" I said, taking a bite of my eggs and a sip of my milk.

"This one may only stay for one hour if we keep at her." Louisa said gleefully.

"Why?" Brigitta looked up. She was still reading, this time with the book on top of the table.

"She's coming from the local convent!" Louisa squealed.

"What's so special about a convent, Liesl?" Gretl asked, looking at me.

"It means that she's a nun. The ladies that we see walking around Vienna in those black robes." I explained, looking up.

"Oh, those funny ladies with the long necklaces with the cross on it?" Marta giggled.

"Those are called rosaries, Marta. Don't make fun of them." Friedrich said.

"She's not a nun. She's a postulate. She apparently isn't a very good one." Louisa said, grinning

"What's her name?" Kurt asked.

"Maria something or other. I can't remember her last name. But I heard..." Louisa was interrupted by Frau Schmidt coming in.

"Come along children," she clapped. "Time to go upstairs and start on your work." We all got up from our chairs and started out the door. "And don't forget to make up your rooms." She called after us.

Once upstairs, we went into our separate rooms to "make up our rooms" as Frau Schmidt told us. Of course, Marta and Gretl needed help making their beds. By the time everyone was finished, it was around 11:00 o'clock and we all needed to start on our work. Father would be quite upset if he found we were lacking in our work.

So we sat down and set to find out the past participle of French verbs, addition problems, and how to multiply fractions. Time flew and soon we found Frau Schmidt in our rooms with lunch, fixing the boys hair and setting the girls skirts right. She told us that our new governess should be here around 2:30 and to be ready.

We ate, worked some more on our beloved French, addition, and fractions, and before we knew, we could hear the sharp whistle of our beloved Father calling us to meet our new governess.

"Marta, Gretl, come on! Kurt, hurry up! Where is Brigitta?" I cried, throwing down my pencil, and rushing my siblings around.

We ran out into the hallway, Marta and Gretl, who were always scared of the whistle, first, then Louisa, Friedrich, myself, then Kurt last, lining up in the way that Father had taught, or more or less ordered, us into. Lining up, I could see, out of the corner of my eye that Brigitta, was once again, not in line. I wasn't worried too much. As a book-worm, Father tended to favor her at times when it came to punishment. She was so much a mix between Father and Mother that it was hard not to see why Father would favor her.

He blew the whistle again, and I was snapped out of my thoughts. I started to march in place, hearing the others behind me marching at the same pace. I knew I would set the pace, set the standard, set the look for the others. I let out a small sigh, and started to march down the stairs, shoulders back, and chest out, steps big and sharp.

I walked down the last set of stairs, around the carpet, into the center, stopping in front of Father, marching in place, my left foot coming down on the note, until he blew the whistle for us to stop and turn around. As soon as we turned, I could see Brigitta come up, her nose buried in her book again. Father walked up, took the book, and smacked her bum. Marta let out a sigh of relief that could barely be seen. Out of all of us older girls, Brigitta was her favorite and she hated to see her get scolded, even if it wasn't very harsh.

"Now, this is your new governess, Fräulein Maria. As I sound your signals, you will step forward and say your name. You, Fräulein, will listen closely so that you can learn them and call them when you want them." He had thrown the book down, and started to speak. We all stepped forward, said our names, except for Gretl, who of course, can be shy at times. "Now, let's see how well you listened." This was something to be expected.

"Oh, I, I, I won't need to whistle for them Reverend Captain. I'll use their names, such lovely names." She'd use our names? Father wouldn't be too happy.

"Fräulein, this is a very large house, the grounds are very extensive, I will not have anyone shouting." I told you. "You will take this please, learn to use it. The children will help you. Now, when I want you, this is what you'll hear." Father started to blow the whistle for Fräulein, as he had like all the others.

"No, sir, I'm sorry sir." She yelled over the whistle. She had stopped Father! "I could never answer to a whistle. Whistles are for dogs and cats and other animals, but not for children, and definitely not for me. It would be too...humiliating." Was she crazy? Not use the whistle? Who cares about being humiliated as long as you have pay check? Father would be quite upset.

"Fräulein, were you this much trouble at the abbey?"

"Oh, much more sir."

Father started to walk out, towards his office. He assumed that Fräulein Maria could take care of the rest. All of a sudden, she just blew into the whistle.

"Excuse me sir, but I don't know your signal."

"You may call me captain."

As Father walked out and the new Fräulein looked after him, embarrassed, we all started to laugh. She turned around, looked at us, and we stopped suddenly.

"At ease." I do believe she meant for us to stand at a slouch, but of course, our father being who is he, "at ease" to us meant spread your legs and put your arms behind your back, so that's what we did.

"Now, if you'll please step forward again, and tell me your names and how old you are."

Now, as I had gotten older, I had felt the need for a governess less and less. The last governess had proven that. Hadn't I taken care of my little siblings when necessary? Wasn't it I who walked them to school and back? I was sixteen. I could take care of myself.

"I'm Liesl. I'm sixteen years old, and I don't need a governess."

"Well, I'm glad you told me Liesl. I hope we'll just be good friends." As if that would ever happen.

"I'm Friedrich, I'm fourteen years old, and I'm impossible."

"Really? Who told you that?" she laughed.

"Fräulein Josephine, four governesses ago."

"I'm Brigitta." Louisa stepped forward. This was a new trick on Louisa's part. Of course, none of the other governesses had asked us to repeat our names.

"You, uh, didn't tell me how you old you were, Louisa." She was good; I had to give her that. Brigitta stepped forth.

"I'm Brigitta, she's thirteen years old, and you're smart. I'm ten, and I think you're dress is the ugliest I've ever seen." Brigitta always spoke her mind, she got that from Mother.

"Brigitta, you shouldn't say that." Kurt admonished, but by that time, we all were looking at her dress and I had to agree with Brigitta. I don't know why Father had let her meet us in that. Wasn't it him that always said that first impressions are hard to break?

"Why not? Don't you think it's ugly?" she questioned, which it really was.

"Of course, but Fräulein Helga's was ugliest." Kurt said, and he was right. Of course, her dress matched her temperament. "I'm Kurt, I'm eleven, and I'm incorrigible."

"Congratulations." She said, and started to walk down to Marta and Gretl.

"What's incorrigible?" he asked.

She turned back towards him. "I think it means you won't be treated like a boy." He nodded, seemly satisfied with that. Obviously, he didn't understand what that meant.

Marta went up to Fräulein and pulled on her dress. "I'm Marta, and I'm going to be seven on Tuesday and I'd like a pink parasol."

"Well, pink's my favorite color too." She giggled.

Gretl stamped her foot twice. "Yes, you're Gretl." She nodded and held up five fingers. "And your five years old? My you're practically a lady." Marta and Gretl giggled. They were always trying to play adult.

"Now, I have to tell you a secret. I've never been a governess before." She shrugged.

"You mean you don't know anything about being a governess?" Louisa asked. I could see the wheels turning in her head.

"Nothing. I'll need lots of advice." She shrugged.

I could see Louisa's mind rolling around tons of ideas: spiders, frogs, snakes. Friedrich already had frog in his pocket, waiting for the right moment.

"Well, the best way to start is to be sure to tell Father to mind his own business." We all crowded around her, which was quite obviously making her uncomfortable.

"You must never come to dinner on time," Friedrich shoved in her face.

"You must never eat your soup quietly," Brigitta insisted. Friedrich came up behind her and made an awful slurping sound

"And during desert always blowing your nose." Kurt let us know, his mind always on sweets.

"Don't you believe a word they say Fräulein Maria." Gretl snuck underneath us all.

"And why not?" She asked, looking down.

"Because I like you." She said. I smiled. That's right Gretl. Make the governess trust you. Of course, Gretl had no idea what she was doing. She was just being honest. Anybody seemed better after Helga.

Frau Schmidt came clapping in. "Alright now children. Outside for your walk. Father's orders." We all started to walk away. "Fräulein Maria? I'm Frau Schmidt, the housekeeper."

"How do you do?" we could hear as we walked away.

"How do you do? I'll show you to your room." Frau Schmidt walked over to Fräulein Maria's bags and picked it up.

She picked up her guitar and started to follow Frau Schmidt. "Poor little dears." She must have felt the frog move, dropped her guitar, pulled the frog out of her pocket and threw it down the stairs, right in front of us.

"You're very lucky. With Fräulein Helga, it was a snake." Frau Schmidt told her.

We just looked at her. She couldn't even handle a frog! This was going to be too easy!!

* * *

**A/N: **If only they knew... 


	5. Whaaaah ha ha ha!

**A/N: **Okay, I heart Aline Banhara and Amanda Sarah **_FOREVER!!!!_** They got me a script for "The Sound of Music." I heart you both! Oh and I'm really giddy, because 20 minutes ago I just found out I got a part in "The Christmas Carol" at my local theatre. I'm really giddy!! :)

**Disclaimer: **I make no money. Sorry, I'm just a sorry little 15 year old who only gets $25 a month from her mum and can't be hired by Fashion Bug because I'm not 18. Those little buggers (no pun intended), but don't you think they should tell a girl that before she goes thru the whole application process??? Well?

**Review Repiles:** Again, my favorite part of this whole process!!!  
_Shannah: _I'm glad I made your day! I hope it keeps getting better!!Here's an update!!  
_Aline Banhara: _I'm glad I meet your approval with Louisa! I'm also glad this is a favorite! Wasn't "I'm glad I meet your approval," a line in some musical with Julie Andrews? Maybe some other musical I saw. Anyways...  
_iluvwriting: _Here's an update!!!

* * *

Dinner was late that night.

Apparently Fräulein Maria had taken our warning to heart. Either that or she got lost. She arrived 15 minutes late. Father was none to pleased. And of course, neither was Kurt. He's always hungry. For the first five minutes, he just sat staring at his food, then for the next ten he stared at the door, as if that would bring Fräulein Maria to dinner sooner.

Finally she ran in.

"Good evening." She walked around to her chair, dressed in a more respectably one than she had on earlier, but none the less, still... "Good evening children."

"Good evening Fräulein Maria." She went to sit...

"Whaaaah ha ha ha!" Point two for us. Marta and Gretl had been planning the pinecone one for ages.

"Enchanting little ritual. Something you, uh, learned at the Abbey?" Father wasn't stupid. He knew what was going on, but he chose to ignore it. He liked to see how long the governesses lasted. A cruel joke he would play sometimes.

"No, it's, um, er...um...rheumatism. "She patted her bum and sat down, probably pushing the pinecone further back. Everybody let out a sigh of relief. Father would never call us out himself, but if a governess did...Heaven help us with the saints in their palms. There would be more than just a little tap on the bum for us then.

Thankfully, at that point, we could all start eating. Father picked up his fork, and the rest of us followed suit.

Except for Fräulein Maria...

"Excuse me, Captain, but haven't we forgotten to thank the Lord?"

I looked over at Father. We hadn't said grace in this household since Mother died. I don't think Gretl even knows a single pray. She knows of God of course, but praying? That's something completely new to her.

Father put down his fork, and folded his hand. We all meekly followed.

"For what we are about to receive, may the Lord make us truly thankful. Amen."

We all recited it back and looked back down at our food. Starting to eat, I could see out of the corner of my eye that Fräulein Maria was looking around, I guess trying to judge all of our characters around our Father.

"I'd like to thank each and every one of you for the precious gift you left in my pocket earlier today."

She was starting. I had to admit, this postulant was good. I looked around, and saw Kurt and Friedrich almost choking on their food, trying not to look guilty. I was starting to get worried that I was going to have to cover for my brothers and sisters again. Father looked up.

"Um, what gift?" Please don't tell him! Please don't tell him!

"It's meant to be a secret, Captain, between the children and me." I let out a quiet sigh of relief that couldn't be heard by Father.

"Uh huh. Then I suggest that you keep it and let us eat." He said. He doesn't like people talking during meals. Says it doesn't help digestion or something like that.

But she kept going.

"Knowing how nervous I must have been, a stranger in a new household, knowing how important it was for me to feel accepted, it was so kind and thoughtful of you to make my first moments here so warm and happy and pleasant."

Fräulein Maria looked up at Father and smiled, who forced himself to smile back. Father hates it when people talk. Especially when he's told them in a subtle way. All of a sudden...

"What is the matter, Marta?" Marta was crying and she was right next to Father.

"Nothing." She sobbed.

I kept eating, thinking about what a disaster this could turn out to be. If Louisa started to cry...

I looked over at Friedrich, who was watching Gretl. Tears welling in her eyes, she let out a sniffle. Louisa was sitting next to her, and choked out a sob. Pretty soon, Kurt and Brigitta were bailing as well. Friedrich and I just looked at each other and kept eating.

Father looked around, I think more at the fact that Louisa, the one who never lets her feelings out, was crying, but still in shock. "Uh, Fräulein, is to be at every meal or merely at, uh, dinner time that you intend leading us all through this rare and wonderful new world of ... indigestion?"

Fräulein Maria looked around at us. "Oh, they're alright Captain. They're just happy."

They started to sob louder.

"Enough of this!" Father was annoyed. "Children, leave the table until you can control your selves better. Friedrich, Liesl, you may stay. The rest of you, out!" He commanded.

Fräulein Maria sat there, opened mouth for a moment, before Father shot her a look that I knew well...one of pure annoyance.

"Father, may I be excused?" I asked, looking at Friedrich pointedly.

"May I as well, Father?" he asked, taking the hint.

He shook his head, knowing what we intended to do. "Yes, go." He waved his hand at us, finishing his dinner.

Friedrich and I got up as quietly as we could and walked out. The children had gone upstairs, into the nursery, where Louisa was probably trying to calm down herself, as well as the younger ones. We walked up the stairs, and meet Marta coming down from the governess's wing.

"Marta?" Friedrich asked, looking at her. We hadn't planned for very many tricks on the first night.

"I only hid her slippers." She said, still a little melancholy. I looked at her. Her eyes were still a bit puffy, but otherwise she seemed fine.

"Marta, are you alright?" I said, getting down on her level.

"My nose is still a bit runny at times. Oh, Liesl! I feel so bad!" She cried, tears coming out again.

"Sh, sh, Marta, it's alright. Come on. Let's go back upstairs. We'll get some tissues."

"Come on Marta, I'll carry you." Friedrich said. He had always felt close to Marta. She was the first he could really remember being a baby.

Marta hopped on Friedrich's back with my help, and the three of us went up to the nursery. I opened the door, and found almost complete chaos.

Louisa was still crying, not as hard, but still. Brigitta held Gretl in her lap, and the two of them sat there, crying the hardest I had ever seen Brigitta cry in a long time. Kurt sat wiping his nose on his sleeve.

"Kurt! Stop that! Get a tissue! Louisa! Perk up, it was only a pinecone."

"It's not that." She sobbed. "It's the frog."

"Louisa!" I said, exasperated. She looked up. I was using a tone similar to Father's and I knew it. I was pulling rank, showing my age.

"Brigitta, you perk up too. Gretl, she wasn't hurt. Fräulein Maria is fine."

She looked up at me. "Promise?" she said, not sure if she should believe me yet.

"Gretl, would Liesl lie to you?" Brigitta asked, looking at her. Brigitta could perk up in thirty seconds flat. Finish blowing her nose, wipe her eyes, and she was fine.

"Good! Because I like her."

"Are you all better?" I asked, looking around. Kurt had finally started to use the tissues, and Louisa was straightening things up a little, something she tended to do when she was nervous or upset.

They all nodded.

"Then come on. Frau Schmidt is serving some fruit and Father doesn't like us to miss the fruit." I pushed each of them out the door, Gretl first, followed by Friedrich, Marta, Kurt, and Brigitta. As Louisa was leaving, I pulled her back towards me.

"Are you sure you're alright Lou? You never cry." I asked, walking slower than the rest.

"I'm fine Liesl. Thanks. I think it just upset me this time because no governess has ever called us out like that."

I gave Louisa a hug, and pushed her a little bit in front of me.

We walked back into the dining room, just as Frau Schmidt was setting out dessert. What a shame. We had missed the fruit.

Halfway through dessert, Franz came in.

"A telegram for you, sir."

A telegram! Was Rolf still out there, waiting for me?

"Hmm." He opened it, and read it to himself.

"Franz, who delivered it?" I asked, trying to keep the excitement out of my voice.

"That young lad Rolf, of course."

Excitement burst out of me almost, trying to conceal it.

"Father, may I be excused?"

He didn't let me. I should've known. Not so soon after I had just left before.

"Children, in the morning I shall be going to Vienna."

No. Not again.

"Oh, no Father!" Marta cried. After Brigitta, she was closest to Father. Or as close as any of us could get.

"Not again, Father!" Friedrich said.

He looked around, silencing us all. How could I get out without Father noticing? My water glass!

Gretl finally spoke up. "How long will you be gone this time Father?"

I got up, and went behind Father as though to fill it. I could briefly hear Father saying he wasn't sure.

"To visit Baroness Schraeder again?" Louisa asked.

"Mind your own business." Friedrich said. He was trying to be like Father, keeping people in their place.

Father finished what was in his mouth and answered Louisa in the positive.

"Why can't we ever get to meet the Baroness?"

Kurt had to put his little line in. "Why would she want to meet you?"

"It just so happens, Marta, that you are going to get to see the Baroness. I'm bringing her back with me to visit us all." Father said, giving Kurt a sharp look.

I put down my water glass, looked over my shoulder, and left the room. As I left I could hear my siblings cheering. Father must be bringing Uncle Max with him. Good. I hadn't seen Uncle Max in forever.

But at the time, my mind wasn't on Uncle Max. It was on a certain telegram boy whom I hoped would be waiting for me outside.

* * *

**A/N: **Oh, look, Lisel is in love!! How sweet to be in love and 16! That reminds me...I ran into a friend from my old school, who started to go out with my ex-boyfriend when we were in the 7th grade. We're both in 11th now, and she's still going out with him! That's five years!!! I think, right? Yea, 5!! That's crazy! I haven't even stayed in the same school district for 5 years!! She's dedicated. And she's also a really good trumpet player! Sorry for that odd little ramble.


	6. WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

**A/N:**Another chapter, another...something. I don't know. Thanks to AmandaSarah, who rocks my world, always my faithful beta. And she even reviews the story then!! Girl, you rock!! I'm not as giddy as I was last time. Probably because I'm sick and I didn't make district chrous. Oh well, I'll live.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own "The Sound of Music." It's just something I've been obessed with every since I got it in '96 for Christmas. That was the same year that my parents got my little brother "The Wizard of Oz," and I was like, "You go The Wizard of Oz for a boy?" I was a crazy kid. That was my cooky little comment.

**Review Replies:** They're getting fewer and fewer! Come on, guys, you know you love me!!!  
_iluvwriting:_ Thank you for reviewing. I think you have reviewed every chapter! That freaking rocks! I heart you a million red M&M's!  
_Shannah:_ Another one of my faithful reviewers! I heart you a million red Swedish fish! Yea, I feel bad making Kurt so hungry, but, that's Kurt! I'm glad you like the review replies. It you keep reviewing, I'll keep replying!  
_AlineBanhara:_ You rock my world, Aline! You are my faithful first reviewer! Do you have me on Author's Alert or something? Do my lines really flow? Maybe you should read some of my English essays sheepish grin LOL!! Yea, 16 in 2 months and 11 days, but who's counting? Not me!! Yea, I always saw Lisel and Louisa bing close, it just seems right, you know? They are the oldest two girls. Oh, Lisel and Rolf! My favorite song!! Hehe!!

* * *

Walking through the house wasn't so hard. Frau Schmidt and Franz never really come into the open part of the house when dinner is going on. Father doesn't like them to disturb us. I got outside, onto our back terrace and ran down the stairs.

"Rolf!" I ran over the gazebo, where we usually meet. I saw his bike leaning against one of the trees. He was still here! Suddenly, he popped out from behind a tree, startling me. "Oh, Rolf!"

I threw my arms around him, so happy to see him. It had been ages. Alice had been sick the last week of school, and his house had been quarantined. They were finally let out the first day of summer.

"No, Liesl, we mustn't." He broke away.

"Why not, silly?"

"I don't know, it's just..."

"Isn't this why you're here waiting for me?" I asked. I was being a bit flirtouesly, and I was startled at my own actions. I could see Rolf was starting to get flustered.

"Yes, of course. I've missed you, Liesl."

My heart had to have stopped beating and I was dreaming. He missed me!!!

"You have? How much?"

"So much that I even thought of sending you a telegram just so I'd be able to deliver it here."

"Oh, that's a lovely thought. Why don't you? Right now." How romantic. A telegram. And his eyes are so blue!

"But I'm here!" he laughed. I just love his laugh.

"Please Rolf." I pouted. "Send me a telegram. I'll start it for you. 'Dear Liesl...'"

"Dear Liesl, I'd like to be able to tell you how I feel about you. Stop. Unfortunately, this wire is already too expensive. Sincerely, Rolf."

How he feels about me? But wait...

"Sincerely?"

"Cordially." Not good enough.

"Cordially?" I pouted.

"Affectingly?" That earned him a great hug. "Will there be any reply?" He whispered.

I pulled back, arms still on his shoulders. "Dear Rolf. Stop." I pulled him back. "Don't stop. Your Liesl." I looked at him. "If only we didn't always have to wait for someone to send Father a telegram. How will I know when I'll see you again?" Rolf had finished upper school this year and wasn't sure where he was headed to after this summer.

Rolf stood up, and started to pace, a sign that he was thinking. "Well, let's see. I could come here by mistake – with a telegram for Colonel Schneider. He's here from Berlin, staying with..." He cut off, and spun around toward me. "Oh, no one's supposed to know he's here. Don't tell your father, now."

Who was Colonel Schneider?

"Why not?"

Rolf sat back down. "Well, your father's so...so Austrian."

I laughed. "We're all Austrian."

"Well, some people think we ought to be German and they're very mad at those who don't think so. They're getting ready to..." He patted my hand. I would never wash that hand again. "Well, let's hope that your father doesn't get into any trouble."

"Don't worry about Father. He's a big naval hero. He was even decorated by the Emperor."

Rolf laughed again. "I know. I don't worry about him. But I do worry about his daughter."

"Me? Why?" I asked, my eyes widening.

"Well, you're so..."

"What?" I was trying to get him to finish quicker.

"Well, you're such a baby!" A baby?"

"I'm sixteen. What's such a baby about that?"

Now, I must explain something to you. Rolf comes from a very musical family. His mother and his sister have such pretty voices. His father plays various instruments, and Rolf has a beautiful tenor voice. And he knows how much I love men who can sing.

"You wait, little girl, on an empty stage  
For fate to turn the light on.  
Your life, little girl, is an empty page  
That men will want to write on."

Rolf sat awful close and I was dying to kiss his cheek. I leaned forward and Rolf, unfortunately, leaned back.

"To write on..." I cooed.

"You are sixteen, going on seventeen  
Baby, it's time to think  
Better beware, be canny and careful  
Baby, you're on the brink.

You are sixteen going on seventeen,  
Fellows will fall in line.  
Eager young lads and roués and cads  
Will offer you food and wine.

Totally unprepared are you  
To face a world of men."

Once more, I leaned in for another kiss, unsuccessfully.

"Timid and shy and scared are you  
Of things beyond your ken.

You need someone older and wiser

Telling you what to do  
I am seventeen going on eighteen  
I'll take care of you!"

Oh, I was thrilled!! Rolf had just promised to look after ME!!! I threw my arms around him, in a giant hug. But Rolf pushed me away. I pouted, marched off around him. He chased me, and held out his hand, which I shook rather sharply as I had seen Father do before. I turned back around, only to be chased again, and this time, when Rolf offered his hand, I took it, and we sat down on the bench. But just as we sat, it started to rain, hard. I quickly thought about how I would get back in, but didn't worry about it when I saw Rolf.

I marched over to him, and tapped him on the shoulder.

"I am sixteen, going on seventeen  
I know that I'm naive.  
Fellows I meet may tell me I'm sweet  
And willing I believe.

I am sixteen, going on seventeen  
Innocent as a rose  
Bachelor dandies, drinkers of brandies  
What do I know of those?

Totally unprepared am I  
To face a world of men.  
Timid and shy and scared am I  
Of things beyond my ken."

I had sidled up to him, and started to run my fingers up his arm, in an attempt to tickle his neck, where I know was his worst spot. He started to run away, but I followed and jumped up on the bench.

"I need someone older and wiser  
Telling me what to do.  
You are seventeen going on eighteen.  
I'll depend on you."

I had been running my fingers through his hair, and as I finished, I must have leaned too far forward, because I started to fall. But, oh, how romantic, Rolf caught me! He looked startled, as did I. I hadn't expected to fall, and he hadn't expected to catch me!

Rolf smiled, and spun around and held out his hand. I graciously took it, and we walked around the bench. Fairly soon, we were dancing on the floor, just like at a real party! It had to be heaven! But it got rather warm, with all the humidity, and the dancing. Rolf and I started to turn in the same direction, and met. We did it again, and the last time we did, only I moved back.

He pulled me back and kissed me!!

HE KISSED ME!!

Unfortunately, he ran away. Only one word could describe my feelings.

"WHEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!"

* * *

**A/N: **Sorry it's so short. I'm just generally following the movie, which means, where there's a break in Lisel apparences, I have to make up stuff, and...yea, whatever. You know what to do, my little minions! That little blue review button is calling your name. Click it!! Ciao, my friends!! 


	7. Telegrams!

**A/N: **Okay, so I'm like really giddy, and it's quarter till midnight. Sorry, it took a while. Thanks to my beta, AmandaSarah.   
**Disclaimer: **Okay, so I don't own "The Sound of Music." But I do own the 1110 I got on my SAT's!!! Yea me. I'm ready, I'm ready...whoa...my head is a little top heavy...probably from the massive bun I have on top of my head.   
**Review Repiles: **   
_Shannen:_ Of course she has to love musical men. They remind her of Georg when Agatha was still alive. And of course she's lovesick. She's 16 years old! You have to be lovesick at least once in your adolensence (sp?) stage. And at least twice that don't count towards the whole teenage ones when you're 16! It's, like, the law or something! :)   
_AlineBanhara_: Hey, I didn't have to look to see how to spell your name this time! Go me! I don't know what color Rolfe's eyes were, but he seemed like a blue-eyed babe to me, don't ya think? I can't believe that I have people who have me on Author Alert. I feel like a really popular writer on here now! I think Louisa is close with Lisel AND Brigitta. Brigitta's the one where she can let herself loose, you know, still be a somewhat kid. And Lisel is the one who treats her as a young lady, not some little kid, ya know? I think that Lisel's "Wheeeeeeee" sums up all her feelings.   
**Little Note to Ya'll: **And, by the way, to all the people who think that "Wheeeee" is a bad part of the movie, realize that Lisel is 16 and probably just got her first kiss, and is Lisel. the "Wheeeee" is so her!

* * *

Walking through the yard, I realized that, while Louisa could very easily climb the trestles up to the governess' room with just about anything and everything in her hand, I myself had never attempted to climb it. I wasn't afraid to; I had just never attempted it.

I took a deep breath, pulled my dress up with my hands, and hoped that no one came around the back.

With rain coming down on me, and my dress pulled up around my waist, my underclothes hanging out to the world, I realized what an awkward situation I was in. Looking up, I saw that Fräulein Maria had closed her window. She probably didn't want to get rain on the chair that was situated next to the window. Finishing my climb, I found that she had just shut the window, not locked it. Opening it quietly and looking in, I could see that she was kneeled at her bed.

"Dear Father, now I know why You've sent me here. To help these children prepare themselves for a new mother. And I pray that this will become a happy family in Thy sight. God bless the Captain, God bless Liesl and Friedrich, God bless Louisa, Brigitta, Marta and little Gretl. And, oh, I forgot the other boy. What's his name? Well, God bless what's-his-name."

Climbing through the window, I reminded myself to have a good laugh once I got my dress taken care of and was in my room. 'God bless what's-his-name!'

"God bless the Reverend Mother, Sister Margaretta and everybody at Nonnberg Abbey."

I was almost there; my hand was reaching out for the doorknob! I was going to make it!

"And now, dear God, about Liesl."

NO!

I stopped and turned around.

"Help her to know that I'm her friend and help her to tell me what she's been up to."

"Are you going to tell on me?" I asked, water running down my neck. I was freezing!

"Sh. Help me to be understanding so that I may guide her footsteps. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen." She crossed herself and looked up at me from her position on the floor, waiting for an explanation. Years of lying to Father had given me that.

"I was out walking and somebody locked the doors earlier than usual and I didn't want to wake everybody up. So, when I saw your window open – You're not going to tell Father, are you?" I said.

"Hmm." She got up and went over to the window. "How in the world did you climb up here?" She sounded more impressed than angry.

"That's how we always got into this room to play tricks on the governess." She reached out to close the window. "Louisa can make it with a whole jar of spiders in her hand." I said, giggling; remember one of our other governesses.

The window slammed shut, and Fräulein Maria spun around. "Spiders!" She put her hand to her chest, probably hoping against hope that Louisa hadn't been climbing lately. But Louisa's ankle was acting up from a break she had two years ago from climbing that very trestle and she wasn't willing to risk Father's wrath over that again.

"Liesl, were you out walking all by yourself?" she snapped me out of my reverie.

I instantly started to shake my head yes, but her eyes looked at me so trustingly that I couldn't lie. I shook my head no.

"You know, if we wash that dress out tonight, nobody would notice it tomorrow. You could put this on." She smiled and walked over to her armoire and pulled a nightgown out. "Take your dress in there, put it to soak in the bathtub, then come back here and sit on the bed and we'll have a talk."

She had opened the door and turned on the light to her adjoining bathroom that Father had put in three years ago.

I stopped and turned around. "I told you today I didn't need a governess." I looked down at my dress and at the nightgown. "Well, maybe I do." I smiled gratefully. 

Fräulein smiled and closed the door. I turned around and started to take my dress off. Just as it was almost over my head, I heard a door slam, and quickly pulled my dress down. Only when I realized that it was Gretl scared by the storm did I let go of my breath and finish undressing. I took one of the towels that were in the bathroom to dry off my body. It felt so good to be dry again! I slipped the nightgown over my head, and started to run the water in the bathtub to put the dress in. I couldn't remember if I was to soak it in cold water or warm. But just to be safe, and because of how nice the dress was, I soaked it in warm. A week later, I found that I had shrunk the dress and Marta and Gretl started to use it as a play dress for "dress-up."

After soaking, I opened the door to hear Friedrich saying "No school!" I had heard some of the songs and realized that they were talking about happy things. I had to put in mine! "Telegrams!!"

Everybody started with more.

Louisa: "Birthday presents!"

Brigitta: "Any presents!" Fräulein agreed with her.

Gretl: "Ladybugs!" Fräulein was surprised with that one! She apparently hadn't seen Gretl and Marta's room properly yet!

Marta: "Cats!"

And Kurt had to come with "Rats!"

Louisa, always the comedian, said "a good sneeze!"

"Ah-choo!" came Kurt's reply. Everybody was laughing by now.

"Gesundheit! See what fun it is!" Fräulein laughed.

"Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens

Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens

Brown paper packages tied up with strings

These are a few of my favorite things."

The wind started to slam the window that I had climbed in through against the house. Fräulein ran over to the window, shut it, and locked it. We all looked over at her, expecting more. I knew that the little ones were having fun. They had never really been in the governess' room before. All the others had been adamant that they stay out.

"Cream-colored ponies and crisp apple strudels

Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles

Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings

These are a few of my favorite things."

Fräulein took up hands with Louisa and Brigitta and they started to twirl in a circle. Marta joined in, and Maria left them, went over to the other side of the bed, and picked up Gretl, who was standing on the bed with her hands outstretched. Fräulein twirled with her, then put her down, and I held hands with her and we danced.

"Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes

Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes

Silver white winters that melt into springs

These are a few of my favorite things!"

"When the dog bi-bites...uh..."

Seeing Father, all seven of us quickly lined up. His bark is worse than his bite. He would never physically hurt us, but it does scare one so when he treats you like a sailor that's done something wrong.

"Hello." Fräulein said, trying to act like nothing was wrong.

"Fräulein, did I not tell you that bedtime is to be strictly observed in this house?" Father was mad. He doesn't like to be interrupted at night.

"Well, the children were upset by the storm, so I thought that if I...You did, sir." She tried to cover up.

"And do you or do you not have difficult remembering such simple instructions?"

"Only during thunderstorms, sir" That brought a scowl. Kurt laughed. He should've waited. Father turned his attention towards us, something that wasn't any pleasanter for me.

"Liesl?" he barked.

"Yes, father?" I said.

"I don't recall seeing you anywhere after dinner." That got me in a flutter. I had never really had to defend myself before, where if I didn't cover well enough, I would be the one punished.

"Oh, really? Well, as a matter of fact—"

"Yes?" If he would stop interrupting me, it wouldn't be so hard for me to come up with something. I glanced helplessly over at Fräulein Maria, begging for help.

"Well, I-I was, I was..."

"Ehm, what she would like to say, Captain, is that, uh, she and I have been getting better acquainted tonight. But it's much too late now to go into all that. Come along children. You heard your father. Go back to bed immediately."

Running out the door, I threw Fräulein Maria a look of grateful thanks. If Father had found out that I had been outside with a boy, alone, he wouldn't let me out of his sight every again!

Running down the hall, I could see that Brigitta and Louisa were teasing Friedrich and Kurt about running into Fräulein's room because they were scared of the storm. I thought back to when I climbed through the window.

Fräulein was praying. We already knew that she was a postulant at Nonnberg Abbey. Did that mean that we were going to have more religion now? Father wouldn't do that. Though it would be nice to get some sort of reasoning as to why it had been Mother who died from the fever and not one of us. Marta was twice as sick as Mother, and her being so young, her immune system wasn't as built up as Mother's had been.

What else had we talked about? Nothing really, but she did help me out of a sticky problem. If Frau Schmidt had seen that dress...I would be off to a boarding school in Switzerland in two weeks! None of our other governess's had done that.

Not paying attention to where I was going, I bumped into Louisa.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing, you just weren't paying attention." Louisa laughed, looking back at me.

I hadn't realized that we were already in our rooms.

"Oh. Well, everybody into bed. Father's leaving tomorrow, and we best be on our best behavior before he leaves." I said, going into my room.

"Liesl?"

I turned around, to find Gretl and Marta standing in their doorway.

"Yes?"

"Will you tuck us into our beds?" Gretl asked.

"Of course, come on." I said, turning around, and following them.

"Goody!" Marta ran into their room, jumped across Gretl's bed and fell into her own with an "Oof!"

"That's why you don't jump on beds. Have you ever seen the slight mark that Louisa has right above her lip?" I laughed, kneeling in between the two beds.

"No," said Marta, climbing underneath her covers.

"Yes! I have! She never tells me where she got it from, though! She always tells a big story about it!" said Gretl indignantly as a five year old can be. I pulled the covers up to her chin, and kissed her forehead.

"That's because she's embarrassed by it." I laughed again. I turned to Marta, pulled her covers up and kissed her forehead.

"Well, what happened?" Marta asked expectantly.

"She did just what you did. She's was Brigitta's age, and she and Kurt were having a pillow fight. She jumped across Brigitta's bed, slipped on her own feet, and slide into her nightstand." I laughed. "We were in between governesses and Frau Schmidt was in a frenzy that she would have to get stitches."

"Did she?" Gretl asked, sitting up.

"Lie down, Gretl. No, but she did get that nasty little scar to remind her not to do that again."

"Gee, that's not so much as interesting as the stories she tells me." Said Gretl, lying back down.

"No, I bet not." I said, standing up. "Now, go to sleep, before Father comes in and yells."

I turned down their light, and walked out of their room slowly. Just as I was walking out, I heard the cuckoo clock that Father put in the conjoining room chime 9:30. Looking out into the room, I saw that Brigitta was sitting in a chair, reading a book.

"Brigitta?"

"Hold on." She mumbled distractedly.

"Brigitta, if Father sees that you snatched your book back, he'll be awful cross." I said.

"But I didn't! This is a different copy of it! That's the one that I have. This is the one that they gave me in school!" Brigitta insisted.

"Brigitta..." I raised my eyebrows.

"Alright. I'll put it back first thing." She said dejectedly. "But can I try to finish it?"

"Not now. It's 9:30. You were supposed to be in bed a half hour ago. You can try to wake up early and finish it. So long as you don't disrupt anyone."

"Alright." She got up, put the book down on the table and went into her room.

"And stay in the house when you go to read. No gazebo!" I stated after her.

Her head popped out and she smiled ruefully. "Liesl, why do you always have to ruin our fun?"

"Because I'm the oldest and I don't want any of you to feel the joys and pleasures that I have." I joked.

She poked her tongue out and went into her room.

I walked over to check on the boys, to find them sitting up, both reading. I told them it was time for bed, and walked away. Walking into my room, I remembered Fräulein's pray. "And God bless what's-his-name!" I chuckled.

Trying to fall asleep, I remembered something else.

"To help these children prepare themselves for a new mother..." I sat up.

Father was getting married?!?!?!

* * *

**A/N: **That little blue button is calling you... 


	8. German Fairy Tales

**A/N:** Hey ya'll. Wow, I'm impressed. I don't think I've ever had this many chapters in one story. I'm impressed with my self. Okay, one more thing. The book that Lisel pulled is a title I made up. But supposdly the story is real, I don't know if it's by the Grimm Brothers or not. So the words that are in German are: The Grimm Brothers: A book of fairy tales. And the story is "The Frog's Bridegroom." Don't ask, I just pulled it off the internet.  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own the original plot line. What a shame...it's a really good one too. But hey, it's only 23 more days until Christmas, and 26 till I turn 16! Yea!! Party!!  
**Review Repiles: **Woo-hoo, my fav. part again!!! Expect, I get depressed when Aline is the only one to review!!! Not cool, people, def. not cool!!!!!!  
_AlineBanhara:_ I don't even take notes when I review! I'm impressed! Of course Lisel's motherly! She was 12 when they died! She has to be!!! Don't be sorry for Louisa! She did all those things to GET her father's attention! That may come up in later chapters. I'm not sure. Thanks for all the encourgement you give me!

* * *

At 6:30 the next morning, Frau Schmidt came into my room to tell me that Father wanted to see me immediately. I groggily put clothes on and shuffled down to Father's office. Stifling a yawn, I knocked on the door. After a few minutes when Father didn't answer, I knocked again, starting to get worried. Father never let people knock twice. 

Footsteps came from the dining room, and I turned around to greet them.

"Liesl, where have you been? I sent Frau Schmidt for you 45 minutes ago." Father walked out. "Come into the dining room."

"I'm sorry Father. Frau Schmidt didn't tell me where you were. I assumed you were in your office." I replied, following him into the dining room.

"You know what happens when you assume." He sat down at the head of the table and picked up his coffee cup.

"Yes Father. You usually assume wrongly." I meekly spouted out the answer I knew he wanted to hear.

"Now, while I'm gone, I want you to keep check on this new governess. After last nights…rowdiness…"

"But Father, they were scared. You know we haven't had a thunderstorm around that time as bad since Mother…" I pleaded, trying to find an excuse for Fräulein Maria.

"Liesl. I do not want excuses. She knew the rules, as did you and your other siblings. And I thank you for not interrupting anymore."

Frau Schmidt came into the room. "Liesl, dear, would you like anything for breakfast?" She asked kindly.

"Just some toast, please, Frau Schmidt." She nodded and walked out.

"You should eat more, Liesl." Father looked at me.

"I'm not very hungry this morning Father." I mumbled, picking up my cup of tea.

We sat in silence as he ate his fruit and I drank my tea. Frau Schmidt came in with my toast, and I thanked her.

"Father?"

"Hm?" He answered, buried in the morning paper.

"How long will you be in Vienna?"

He put down his paper and looked at me. "Liesl. I'm going because the Baroness and I need to discuss some things of great importance. I'm not sure how long that will take. But it won't be too long. The Baroness can't stay very long, she has to go to Munich in about two weeks to discuss some things with her bank."

"Do the important issues include anything in a matrimonial sense?" I cowered a little, waiting for the blow.

Father just looked at me. When no blow came, I grew a little bit bravery. "Father?"

"Liesl, you understand that when your mother died, it left a rather large hole in this family that has been very hard to replace." He said quietly after a moment.

"Are you trying to replace Mother, Father?" I asked, shocked. How could he do that? There was no one like Mother! She couldn't be replaced. I wouldn't let him!

"No, Liesl. I'm not. I'm looking for someone to take my mind off your mother." He dejectedly looked at his plate, and pushed it away. "Go wake your brothers and sisters. I'll have Frau Schmidt send breakfast for you all up there. I have to leave, if I want to catch my train." He stood up quickly in his usually hard manner and left the room.

I looked at my plate of toast and pushed that away too. He couldn't replace Mother! He just couldn't! I would do everything in my power to make sure that he didn't!

I got up and went upstairs, to a nursery full of noise. Looking around, I found Brigitta with her nose buried in her book. Louisa, Kurt, and Friedrich were sitting, whispering to each other. Marta and Gretl were chasing each other around, making the majority of the noise. Everybody was still in their nightclothes.

"Kurt!" I yelled. He looked up. When I mentioned him over, he came quickly.

"Yes?"

"What is all this?" I looked around amazed. If Father had come up here now, Fräulein Maria would be out in her nunnery quite quickly.

"Fräulein hasn't shown up yet. So we decided to take this opportunity to plan more tricks on her." Kurt shrugged, and walked back over to Louisa and Friedrich.

I turned around to go get Fräulein Maria, only to find her stand there, amused.

"Fräulein?"

"Yes Liesl?" She calmly looked at me.

"Aren't you going to do anything about this?" I asked, amazed at her calm demeanor.

"Why? They're being children. This is what children do." She shrugged.

"But not us. If Father walked in right now, you'd be out of a job."

"Liesl." She turned to me and put a hand on my shoulder. "Liesl, Liesl, Liesl."

"I'm not two, I know my name." I said, glaring. "The last person who had repeated my name like that had ended up being fired three hours later."

Fräulein laughed. "I'm sorry. But let me worry about my job, and you worry about being a sixteen year old girl. Everything will be fine. Go get dressed. If I need your help, will you be willing?" She looked at me, with a twinkle that I would soon get used to in her eye.

I nodded, walked over to Louisa, Kurt, and Friedrich and stopped. Leaning down, I said, "You might want to look out for this one. She'd be the kind to play tricks back," got up, and went into my room. From my doorway, I could see the worried looks on their faces. Getting dressed, I had to laugh. She would be quite a match for the seven of us.

Suddenly a sharp whistle sounded through the air. She was using the whistle? I quickly ran back into the room, and lined up with the rest of my siblings, all of whom, except for Brigitta, were dressed.

Walking sharply in front of us, Fräulein Maria had a stern look on her face.

"Now, this is my first official day as your governess. Before he left, your father left me a list of things that should be done while he is away." She stopped in front of me. "Liesl, you are to work on your English. It appears that you have been lacking." She went on down the line, telling the others what Father had said. But I didn't hear her. I kept thinking that this couldn't be the kind governess that had sung to us all last night. Or even the one that I had talked to just five minutes before.

"Liesl?"

I straightened up.

"At ease." And I did the exact same thing I did yesterday.

"Liesl, what is your greatest wish for today?"

I looked at her oddly. "Pardon?"

"What is it that you most wish to do?"

Looking at her carefully, I chose my words. "To read my book that I have to translate to English."

"Why is that?"

"Because it's an excellent book. Full of fantastic ideas and expressive words." I said, still carefully choosing my words.

"Who picked it out?"

"Father, of course."

"What's it about?"

I looked down the line to see that the others had started to slack a little, and were watching Fräulein Maria just as closely as I was. "Battle plans of the American and British armies in their Revolutionary War."

Fräulein laughed. "And what would you rather be reading?"

"German fairy tales and translating those." I said eagerly.

"Done. Go see if your father has some in his library, bring it back up here, read them carefully, and translate that for the rest of the morning."

"Really?" I asked, so surprised that I jumped out of line. No one had ever altered Father's study plans for us.

"Yes. Battle plans of the Americans and British are for people who are attending naval academies in the late twenties. Besides, they have no English words that I hope you use. Fairy tales are more likely to have them. You are a young, intelligent lady, who should try to hold on to her childhood for as long as she can. Go."

I quickly ran out of the room, down the stairs, into Father's office, where he kept all the other books for us as well. Looking around, I couldn't quite remember where the books were. It had been a while since I had been in here with time to really look.

Walking over to one of the bookshelves, I saw that there were various pictures of Mother and some of us. I noticed, though, that the last picture was the one that we had gotten on Gretl's birthday. Every birthday, it didn't matter how long it had been since the last, we would get a family picture and some of the birthday child. Mine was actually the last birthday we could've gotten one, but Mother didn't want one when she was so ill. She said, and I can remember her whispering to me and Father, "I don't want to be remembered so sickly looking. Georg, I want our children to remember me alive. Not half-dead."

Tears welled in my eyes, as I remembered her last few days. She didn't want to be remembered so pale, but that's the only way I could think of her. I picked up the picture that was now blurry through my tears, and sat down on the chair that I had sat to talk with Father four years ago. Sniffing, I remembered where the books were. Father kept them right underneath all our pictures on our last birthdays. I knew that Father always kept the ones from the previous years underneath them. I would have to talk to Fräulein about getting some of the pictures out to make a small gift for Father.

Looking at the books, I picked one up, titled "Die Grimm Brüder: Ein Buch der Märchen." Flipping through it, I found my favorite fairy tale, one entitled "Der Bräutigam des Frosches."

Sitting down, I started to skim the fairy tale, checking to make sure that it was a relatively easier thing for me to start out on. As I skimmed through, I found a picture in between some pages. The picture was of Mother and Father on their wedding day, with a much younger Uncle Max beside Father, and a woman whom I didn't recognize beside Mother, but whom I assumed had been her matron of honor. Turning the picture over, I saw, in Mother's neat, prim, curvy writing, "Capt and Mrs. Georg von Trapp. August 15th, 1921. Matron of Honor, Marta Blat. Best Man, Max Detweiler." Again, tears welled up in my eyes, and this time I let them freely fall onto the book, my dress, and the picture.

"Liesl?"

I looked up to see Fräulein Maria standing at the doorway, looking at me.

"Are you alright? You seemed as though you could've jumped to the moon, the way you ran out the door. I thought you'd be back already."

I smiled lightly. "I've been looking for a book, and I found one, and then I found this." I held up the picture of the wedding party. I would never have dared to show it to any other governess. But Fräulein Maria was different. She wouldn't scoff at me.

"She was beautiful, Liesl. Who's that standing next to your Father?"

I laughed through my tears. "That's Uncle Max. He was a friend of mother's in school, and somehow he just stayed attached to Father after…" I took a deep breath. "You'll meet him when Father comes home. He tends to visit and never leaves."

Fräulein laughed. "One of those kinds of people. I was like that when I was your age. My home life wasn't happy, and when I found a friend and her family that would let me stay for as long as I dared, I latched on like a leech." Fräulein sat down next to me, and put her hand on my arm. "Anything you want to talk about, Liesl, I am hear to listen. Think of me more as an older sister, like you are to Louisa and Brigitta, who's worried about your well-being, then a governess who'll tell you what to do, because that's what her boss said to do. Come on back up stairs. The others are dying to hear your English translation. I don't know if I can keep them still long enough for you to translate it." She stood up and walked out the door.

I laughed and went to stand with her. Holding the picture in my hand, I smiled at her, and walked over to Father's desk, where I put the picture right in the middle, where he would see it when he got home.

I turned, to find Fräulein Maria, standing in the doorway, smiling. She held out her hand, and like a little child who was eager to get to her mother again, I ran towards it, grabbed on, and we walked up stairs.

* * *

**A/N: **That little blue button.... 


	9. I feel old

**A/N: **Okay ya'll. Sorry this one took a while. I had to do some re-writes because it just wasn't Maria-ish enough and I wanted it to work. But, hey, five more days ya'll!! Oh, and so ya'll know, "zut" means darn in French. My french teacher wouldn't really teach us any others. I don't think I mentioned my beta in my last chapter, and for that, I totally suck!! Thank you to AmandaSarah, who probably does not know how much I appreciate her helping me!! If it wasn't for her, my stories would totally and completely SUCK!!!  
**Disclaimer: **I do not own these wonderful characters. I am just enhancing them so you may enjoy them further in the movie. What a load of crap. Enjoy!!  
**Review Repiles:  
**_Aline Banhara:_ You've reviewed so much I don't need to look how to spell your name now!!! Go me! Okay, so, yea, Georg's being a s-o-b right now, but that's because he's half deaf. Haha!! Sorry, randomness that made no sense. Anywhos...yea, I was almost crying when I wrote that scene. Very hard for ME to make me cry. Thanks for reading and staying even when this thing sucks ass.  
_Shannah: _That sucks about your computer crashing. But I'm glad that you got to review this chapter! I'm glad I made you laugh. Did you laugh so hard that you could have a tea party on the ceiling like in "Mary Poppins?" Sorry, random Julie Andrews stuff!!

* * *

Those first few days, Fräulein was careful to keep a stricter hand on us. We always lined up when she needed us, but never in our uniforms. Maria had used some of the material she had gotten for her dresses, and made all of us some new clothes. They were comfortable, stylish, and quite colorful. We loved them. 

A few days after Father left, Fräulein approached me during our "schooling" hour.

"Liesl?" she sat down next to me and looked over my shoulder.

"Yes?" I asked, still concentrating on one problem. Somehow, multiplying fractions had left my head minutes after that one fateful hour with Rolf in the school yard about a year ago.

"One thing, you need to remember to cross-multiply across when it's a proportion. And another, what are we going to do about Marta's birthday tomorrow?"

I looked up, then back down at my problem.

"_Zut_!" I said loudly.

"Liesl, don't swear. I don't care if it's in French, German, or English. Don't do it." She said sternly. She didn't mind us speaking our minds, but swearing was one thing that she came down hard on. She had even refused to let Kurt go out for an entire two days for doing it. Kurt hates the indoors.

"Sorry. Father probably left her a gift. Frau Schmidt will take it out on Tuesday morning. A book of manners probably. She'll be seven, and he feels that she'll need to brush up on them." I said, concentrating back on my problem. I erased just about the entire paper, knowing I'd have to do them all over again.

"A book of manners? For a seven year old?" She looked surprised.

"Of course. That's what he got Brigitta." I said, looking up. The look of shock on her face made me realize that she hadn't been here as long as it seemed. For only being here three days, she understood us surprisingly well.

"Well, we'll have to do something about that." She got up and went around to the rest of the children.

I shrugged my shoulders and went back to work, hating every fraction that I wrote down.

A few more days had passed and it was Tuesday morning. We all lined up in the morning, expecting another exciting adventure. Last Friday, she had taken us down to the river, and had us explore things as part of a science lesson. Marta and Gretl had hated it, while Friedrich, Louisa, and Kurt had reviled in it.

Fräulein walked in and the whispering got very quiet.

"Good morning," she said brightly. "I do believe that it's a very special day today."

"Why?" Gretl asked, looking surprised. She still hadn't gotten the birthday concept down quite hard enough to remember everybody's birthday.

"It's Marta's seventh birthday today!" Fräulein said. She walked over to Marta, and gave her an enormous hug. "Happy birthday, Marta. How does it feel to be seven?"

"I feel old." She stated, after thinking for a moment.

Friedrich laughed out loud, and I smacked him on the head. He straightened up, "I felt the same way when I turned seven, too, Marta." Marta smiled up at him. She always had a special connection with Friedrich.

"Marta, if you go down to the dining room, Frau Schmidt has made you a special breakfast, with a tiny cake for only you to eat." Fräulein said, regaining Marta's attention.

"Really?" Fräulein nodded. "Come on Gretl, I'll share the cake with you!" Marta grabbed Gretl's hand, and they ran down the stairs to the dining room.

We all laughed after them, running out, and seeing who would win the race to the tiny birthday cake. Fräulein called us back in.

"You can get your gifts out now, and place them on the table. I'm going to get mine, I'll be right back." She left the room, and we could see her cross the large entrance hall over to her room.

"She made gifts for Marta? She's only been here a week!" Kurt exclaimed, shocked.

"Kurt? Does she really seem like the kind of person who wouldn't make a gift?" Louisa said, smacking his head.

"Ow! Stop doing that! Liesl, tell her to stop." Kurt complained loudly.

"I can't do that. It would be too hypocritically of me." I shrugged. "I just did the same thing to Friedrich. Maybe you two boys need to learn how to act. Come on, we need to get dressed." I walked outside, into the hallway and leaned over the banister. "Marta! Gretl! Before you make yourselves sick on breakfast, come upstairs and get dressed."

Marta and Gretl ran out of the dining room. "But Liesl!!!" They whined.

"If you don't," I smirked, "we can't get your gifts downstairs before you!"

"Gifts!" Marta ran up the stairs, Gretl close behind. They came rushing towards me and almost bowled me over. "Oh, Liesl, what did I get!!"

I laughed, hugging her. "I can't tell you. But if you get dressed quick enough, we can put them downstairs for you!" I shooed them into their rooms, then let the others know that they could take their gifts downstairs without being seen.

They tiptoed down into the dining room, each with a gift, Louisa taking mine. Just as Marta and Gretl were coming out of the nursery, I saw Fräulein Maria, coming out of her room. I waved my arms to catch her attention, and sent her back so that Marta and Gretl wouldn't see her. She quietly backed into the semi-shadows of her hallway until Marta was safely out of sight.

Following Marta and Gretl into the dining room, I saw that everybody had laid their gifts on the side table, where the water pitcher sat during dinner.

"Can I open them now?" Marta said, looking at them all.

"No." Fräulein Maria entered the room, her hands free of packages. "You have to wait until _after_ you all eat. Sit, before it gets cold. I do despise cold eggs." She said sitting down.

We all picked up our forks, before Fräulein coughed at us. I laid my fork down quickly and nudged Kurt, who was sitting beside me. He laid his down, and the rest followed suit.

"For what we are about to receive, may the Lord make us truly thankful. Amen."

"Amen." This time we all picked up our forks and ate and talked with gusto. It was the loudest breakfast I can ever remember having with a governess and all seven of us. The best part was that Father would never have allowed it!

After breakfast, Marta opened her gifts from us. She had become especially fond of ballet and the color pink over the years, and each gift was either pink or had something to do with the ballet.

After Marta had opened the last one, she came around and gave each of us a hug. I looked questioningly at Fräulein because I hadn't noticed her gift. She smiled and backed out the door, and came in with the large handfuls of gifts.

Marta's eyes got bigger and bigger. "Are those all for me?" She was getting anxious already to open them all.

"No. Two of them are. The rest are for everybody else."

"Presents for us?" Brigitta asked. Brigitta was big on traditions and one tradition that was never broken in our house was that nobody except the birthday child got gifts.

"Think of them as 'Welcome to summer vacation' gifts." Fräulein smirked. She passed them all out. But before we could all rip ours open, she stopped us. "The Birthday girl first." She said.

Marta ripped open on of the packages and found a pink parasol.

"Oh, Fräulein Maria! A pink parasol! Just what I wanted! Oh, thank you!" She ran over to Fräulein Maria and leaped into her arms. "Thank you ever so much."

"Happy birthday, Marta. Now, open the other one." She pointed to the other package, still sitting at Marta's plate.

Marta ran over and opened that one. It was a smock, made of a very familiar green flowered material.

"Fräulein…" I started, pointing to it.

"Go ahead and open up your own now everybody." She interrupted me, motioning that I should open too.

We all ripped them open, to find dresses and lederhosen in the same material.

"Fräulein, what are these for?" Louisa asked, looking at it strangely. She had noticed that the material looked familiar too.

"So you can get dirty." She smiled.

"Dirty?" Kurt asked. "Where are we going to get dirty at?"

"On our trip today." Fräulein looked around at us. "You didn't think I would except you to just wear those lovely frocks at home, did you? No, we are going into the mountains today. So, get dressed, and meet me down here in fifteen minutes. We have to plan."

"Oh, the mountains!!" Marta, Gretl, and Brigitta got very excited, and ran upstairs to change. Friedrich and Kurt just looked at each other, and shrugged. They didn't mind. It meant that they were getting out of school work today.

Louisa looked at me, and then at Fräulein. "Fräulein Maria?"

"Hm?" Fräulein sat in her chair, calmly sipping her tea.

"Where did you get this material so quickly?" Louisa held up the dress.

"It does seem vaguely familiar, doesn't it?" She winked and got up. "Hurry and get changed girls. You don't want to hold everybody else up."

She walked out of the room, then popped her head back in quickly. "Isn't it strange how that pink parasol looks so much like a painted and decorated umbrella?" Fräulein winked again, and then walked up to her room.

Louisa and I followed her out, and watched her carefully as she ascended the stairs into the hallway. Looking at each other, Louisa and I gaped at what our new governess had done.

This was a whole new kind of game we were playing. And we were sure we would enjoy ever minute of it!

* * *

**A/N: **You know that blue button is calling you! I feel so bad, because only two people reviewed! Please love me!!! 


	10. Oh Rolfe!

**A/N: **I know, I know, I'm sorry that this took so long!! But I had serious writers block and it totally sucked! But I did totally write this one in, like, half an hour! I hope you guys like the scene with Lisel and Rolfe. I tried not to make it racy since it is the 1930's and she's only 16, those 16 year olds today aren't much better than sluts, and I can say that because I am now 16!!!! HAHA!!! Whatever... Wow, I got a lot of reviews! Yea!!!  
**Disclaimer: **Yea, I don't own "The Sound of Music," I'm just a really weird fan. Sue me, you won't get much.  
**Review Repiles: **Here we go....  
_Shannah: _I'm glad you enjoyed my little story!!  
_AmandaSarah: _Of course I love the word suck. I'm 16!!! And American!! HA! I'm glad that I'm reaching out to all the non-Lisel fans. I actually thought of doing stuff with Louisa, but you really can't into her head since she's so closed off. I also connect with Lisel a lot more.  
_AlineBanhara: _Of course his umbrella is missing!! It just wouldn't be Maria otherwise. And she probably left him a little note letting him know that a book on manners is NOT the proper present for a seven year old!! Sorry for the long wait, but I think that this chapter makes up for it, right?  
_iluvwriting: _Yea, I understand about the whole busy life thing. I can't review all the ones I want to as well because I'm always getting kicked off. Ah! Anyways, thanks for taking time out of your busy life to review!!!

* * *

We quickly ran up the stairs, into the nursery, to find the girls dressed and the boys still getting there. Louisa and I rushed into our separate rooms, got changed as fast as we could, and ran out, to find Fräulein standing, waiting for us, everybody in line. We quickly ran to our spots, while she looked us all over.

Fräulein stopped in front of Louisa, and looked her up and down.

"Louisa?"

"Yes?" She answered back, cheekily. She knew she could get away with it now.

"Are you a tomboy?" Fräulein smiled.

"Look who I'm in between. Friedrich and Kurt have always been my playmates." She smirked.

Fräulein laughed, and reached into her back pocket. "Then I guess you, out of all of us, would need this the most." Louisa looked at the handkerchief, confused. "To keep the hair out of your face when you beat us all at climbing trees." Louisa smiled and immediately put the handkerchief on her head, over top of her braid.

"I can climb higher than her!!" Kurt shouted, his ego hurt. He always felt the need to prove himself over Louisa.

"I'm sure you can, Kurt. Now, are you all ready? Good, there is something for everyone to carry downstairs by the door. Go on down and pick something up."

While Marta, Gretl, and Brigitta raced downstairs, Louisa and I stayed back so that we could talk with Fräulein.

"Fräulein?" Louisa asked carefully.

"Hm?" She answered distractedly, sitting at the table, writing a note to Frau Schmidt.

"Is this outing approved by Father?" I asked, sitting down next to her. "He wouldn't absolutely agree to it."

"Liesl, Louisa. Your father left you in my care. To look after you how I think is best. And I think it is best if you all go out and get some good Austrian mountain air." She looked up from her note. "Louisa, run this down to Frau Schmidt, please. If she has any questions, she can ask me when we get back."

Louisa took the note, and ran down to the kitchen.

"Liesl, what's Marta's favorite thing to do, while in town?" Fräulein asked me, taking me by the arm and leading me downstairs.

"Well, she does like to go to the market and pretend to buy things to cook a meal…" I smiled at her.

"Right!" She smiled back at me as we reached the group. "Everybody here?" She asked as Louisa came back out. "Good. Our first stop is to the market. We need more of a lunch besides milk and sandwiches. Don't you agree, Marta?"

Marta smiled eagerly back, and raced out the door, followed by the rest of us. Our first outing in our new clothes was to be a success.

After we got to the market place, we walked through town a little bit, taking in the sites. The younger girls were the in the front, the boys behind them, talking with Fräulein Maria about the grounds. Louisa and I were following behind them. Louisa was looking at some of the young men that were about, while I was making fun of her, yet each of them reminded me of Rolf.

I hadn't seen him since that night when he kissed me. Was I a bad kisser? Is that why he ran away afterwards and hasn't been back since? Or did he just not like me anymore? It was too confusing to think about, and I wasn't exactly ready to broach the subject with Fräulein yet.

Just as Fräulein turned around to tell us that we were about ready to head up to the mountains, someone touched my arm, causing me to turn around.

"Liesl?" It was Rolf!

"Oh, Rolf!" I threw my arms around him, not caring that we were in the middle of Salzburg. "I missed you!"

Fräulein Maria cleared her throat, and I quickly released Rolf, and turned around, my cheeks a deep shade of crimson.

"Liesl. Who is this young gentleman?" She asked, while Gretl and Marta stood behind her, giggling.

"Fräulein Maria, this is Rolf. He has assisted me on my mathematics in school on many occasions. Rolf, this is my governess. And you already know my brothers and sisters."

Rolf performed a bow to Fräulein. "Fräulein, it is a pleasure to meet you." He said courteously. "Might I have a few words with Liesl before you begin the rest of your journey?"

Fräulein eyed him for a little while, nodding her consent. "Five minutes, Liesl. No more, I'll send someone after you at that time. We can't stay long."

"Yes Fräulein." I smiled lightly at her, but she could see in my eyes the gratefulness that I held.

Rolf grabbed my hand, and pulled me through the stalls to the very back one, where no one really came. There I threw my arms around him again, and this time he hugged me back.

"Oh, Rolf. I missed you!"

"I've missed you, too. Might I give you a kiss to show how much?" He asked shyly.

I giggled and nodded my consent. He leaned in slowly, and gave me a shy, gentle kiss. Instead of pulling back right away, he stayed close, and looked me in the eyes. Those eyes made me weak in the knees, and I had to look away before I fell against the old stand.

He pulled back and smiled at me, still holding my hand. "Thank you."

I smiled at him, not knowing what to say. He must think me a terrible clod!

"How's your summer been so far?" I asked, the first thing that came to my mind. Such an idiotic thing to say!

"It's much better now." He smiled at me again. That smile!! My stomach was full of butterflies. "How's yours been?"

"The best." I said, trying to not to giggle. I hated giggling, it made me sound like some senseless girl.

At that moment, Kurt popped around from one of the stalls, causing Rolf to drop my hand. I could still feel the pressure though.

"Liesl, come on. Marta and Gretl are getting impatient!" He said, and then popped out again.

"I should go." I said, waving towards where Kurt was. "Gretl's been looking forward to having a nice governess since she was three."

"That's alright. May I give you a kiss goodbye?" He asked, not so shy this time, but not exactly confident that I would say yes.

I nodded, and again, he gave me a slow and gentle kiss, that I would always remember. He grabbed my hand, and we walked out into the market together. When he got in sight of the rest of my family, he dropped my hand and walked the rest of the way with me.

"Fräulein, thank you for letting have a moment with Liesl. Enjoy the rest of your journey." He smiled at me, then walked over to his bike, which I could see leaning against the fountain. As he rode past, he smiled at me and waved. I waved back, a silly little grin on my face.

Gretl pulled on my skirt. "Liesl, why are you smiling funny?"

"No reason." I looked down at her, and grabbed her hand. "Come on; let's go with the rest of the group.

When we finally made it up to the mountain, Friedrich and Kurt started throwing around the ball that we had brought, while I played cards with Gretl, and Marta, Brigitta, and Louisa ate some of the fruit we had bought.

"Fräulein Maria?" Louisa sat up, getting her attention.

"Hm?" Fräulein answered, looking at her.

"Can we do this everyday?" I giggled. Louisa and the boys would do anything to get out of school work.

"Don't you think you'd soon get tired of it Louisa?" she answered, smiling broadly.

"I suppose so…Every other day?" Louisa came back cheekily. She and Fräulein could joke for hours on things like this. They always seemed to have witty little banters going on.

Friedrich threw the ball a little past Kurt, up to the blanket we were sitting on.

"I haven't had so much fun since they day we put glue on Fräulein Josephine's toothbrush." Kurt said, chasing the ball.

I laughed at the thought of it. The toothbrush had been stuck to her teeth for two hours, before Frau Schmidt found a way to get it off without knocking out her teeth.

"I can't understand how children as nice as you can manage to play such awful tricks on people." Fräulein said in amazement. Of course we only seemed like nice little children.

"Oh, it's easy." Brigitta told her.

"But why do it?" she came back.

"Well, how else can we get Father's attention?" I explained simply.

"Yes." Brigitta chimed in.

Fräulein looked at me and Brigitta with amazement and confusion. She knew I was right. "Oh, I see. Well, we'll have to think about that one. All right, everybody. Over here." She got up, brushed her hands together, picked up her guitar and went to sit on a rock.

"What are we going to do?" Marta asked, as she skipped over to Fräulein, and sat down close to her.

"Let's think of something to sing for the Baroness when she comes." Fräulein started to tune her guitar a little. Maybe she could teach me how to play something on it. I've always loved the guitar. It was Mother's favorite instrument as well.

"Father doesn't like us to sing." Marta was confused. She couldn't go against Father, but she didn't want to go against her beloved Fräulein either.

"Well, perhaps we can change his mind." She said, grimacing. "Now, what songs do you know?"

"We don't know any songs." Friedrich answered.

"Not any?" Fräulein was amazed. I didn't bother to remind them of "Edelweiss." That always brought up issues with Mother, especially Louisa, who took Mother's death extremely hard.

"We don't even know how to sing." Louisa told her.

"Well, let's not lose any time. You must learn." Fräulein started to strum at her guitar again.

"But how?" Gretl asked, always curious.

* * *

**A/N: **Okay, I know some of you might hurt me, but I'm not gonna put the whole "Do-re-mi" song in, but I will follow my beta's advise and put her thoughts on the song. So, yea, hopefully, the next chapter will be up sooner, but I just started new classes, and I have two AP classes this semester, and there's LOT of work in it. Love ya!!


	11. The hills are alive

**A/N: **Betas fricking rock, and my's the best! So nah! Haha, I'm kinda hyper, I don't know why. Maybe because my aunt just had her baby up in Indiana, but I'll never to get see my new cousin except on major holidays that I go out to my dad's, but that's a whole 'nother story...Okay, so you know, how when you do something that you want to, you feel guilty if there's something you REALLY need to be doing...yea...that's how I feel right now. So, enjoy the fruits of my guilty labor! Hey, that sounds really cool!  
**Disclaimer**: Do you think if I killed the head of 20th Century Fox, I could get the rights to "The Sound of Music?" Yea, I didn't think so either.  
**Review Repiles: **My faithful reviewers...to the tune of 'you are my sunshine'you are my sunshine, you are my joy, you have your own folder, in my inbox...  
_iluvwriting:_ I know just how you feel with life! And don't little brothers just suck! If my brother interuppted a moment like that, he wouldn't be seeing his permit test!  
_Lapwolf: _Thanks for reviewing, glad you're enjoying the story. Lisel's always been my favorite Von Trapp child, probably because I felt I could relate to her the most, being the oldest myself. Course, there's only two of us, and both are parents are still alive, but my daddy was in the navy when I was little! You didn't need to know that...  
_Shannah: _Tell your friend to review the story! I don't really feel pressured about school right now, just that slight pressure that comes with those damn AP courses. Damn my brain...  
_AlineBanhara:_ What happened! You were last! I got worried! I hate that feeling of not being able to breath, it just sucks, doesn't it? But take deep, claming breaths, and read this chapter!

* * *

Throughout the week, Fräulein Maria took us all over town. One day, Fräulein had brought up bikes from a certain telegram center for us to ride all over town. Another day, we went for a carriage ride through town, just looking around. We had such fun trying to squeeze seven children into one. Fräulein had to sit up front with the driver! Finally, the high point came on the day before Father was due home. Fräulein took us to an orchard near by, and we all had a climbing contest. Friedrich and Kurt were so hurt when Louisa not only out-climbed them, but did it faster too! We spent the rest of the morning, hanging in the trees like little monkeys.

And all during this week, Fräulein taught us the most beautiful songs. We finally came upon one that we all could sing and was easy for me to play on the guitar, since Fräulein thought it would be a little inappropriate for her to do it. All week we worked on it, but in between, we always kept up with our studies, so Father wouldn't get suspicious when he got back.

I guess you could also say that the low point was also the day before Father was due home. More because that was also the day that Father did come home. And he brought Uncle Max, just like he said he would. And he brought the Baroness.

When we first meet her, we were soaked to the skin. We had been rowing along, because Fräulein thought it was high time that we "get our feet wet." So we took the rowboat that Father had tied farther down river that day, and went for a row. As we were rowing past the house, we saw Father and someone who was obviously the Baroness, standing there. Somebody stood up, then we all stood up, and then…

Well, let's say we all got a little wet…

"Come out of that water at once!" Father was mad, but no one seemed to notice or care. We were all laughing and giggling too much. Louisa pulled Gretl out of the water, because we nearly forgot that Gretl couldn't swim. No one ever had the chance to teach her. We were never allowed to after we taught Marta how. Father told us that there shouldn't be any opportunity for Marta or Gretl to swim. How that put Louisa in a twist!

Fräulein pulled the boat up the steps and tied it up as we walked up the stairs.

"I'm soaked to the skin!" Louisa had been the one who had her hair tied back, yet hers seemed to be the wettest. She probably took the opportunity to take a quick dive.

After standing around for a second or two, Father pulled out the whistle and gave a shrill blow. We had forgotten all about the whistle. Right before we had gone up to the mountains, we had made a big ceremony of throwing the one Fräulein had received into the river. It was such fun to hear it scream!

"Straight line!" Father was furious. He walked up and down the line, stopped in front of Louisa and pulled the handkerchief off her head. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Fräulein smiling sadly. She had worked so hard on the outfits and now Father was silently yelling at us because of them.

Smiling at us in that furious way, he stated coldly "This is Baroness Schrader…" and turning back to her, his smile faded "…and these, are my children." It cut me that he said it as if he was ashamed to see us.

"How do you do?" Apparently Father had told her not to except a reply. I could see briefly out of the corner of my eye that Gretl was grimacing. She could see that this person was exactly like our previous governesses. Except this one wouldn't even care for her or Marta.

"All right. Go inside, dry off, clean up, change your clothes, report back here! Immediately!" He barked out his orders and expected them to be followed. We scrambled up the stairs, and could hear Father tell Fräulein to stop. Gretl stopped in front of me, but Brigitta gently shoved her on.

"No Gretl. Stopping now will only get her in more trouble." I whispered, looking back, seeing the Baroness following us up the stairs. "Come on, hurry up. I'll be right back." I fell back behind the rest and came to the side of the Baroness.

"Baroness Schrader, how do you do? I'm Lisel." I said politely.

She smiled at me as though she was entertaining a child. "How do you do Lisel? It's very nice to meet you."

"Thank you. I was wondering if you would please join my brothers, sisters, and I in the sitting room in a few moments. We have something we'd like to give you."

She seemed startled, but, being the polite society women she made herself out to be, she nodded gracefully and said she would.

I nodded my thanks, and ran up stairs, to find that nobody had moved to get changed. "What are you all doing, standing around?" I said, looking at them.

"We feel bad about what we did." Brigitta said stepping forward, looking abashed.

"Why? You did nothing wrong. What we did is just not normal for us. That doesn't mean it's wrong!" I stated. "Go get changed. The Baroness has accepted our offer to sing for her! We need to change! Quickly!"

They all ran into their rooms, and were out in five minutes, though everybody's hair was still a tad bit wet.

"Go on down, and wait for me. I have to run up the Fräuleins room and get the guitar." I said, pushing the little ones down the steps after the landing.

"Hurry Lisel!" Gretl said, squeezing my hand.

"I will!" I said, running up the stairs.

The guitar was right where Fräulein said it would be, lying across her bed, with a note.

"Dear Lisel, I know that you and your siblings will do an excellent job today! Sing your best and don't be afraid. You know the song just as well as you know 'Edelweiss.' Love always, Fräulein Maria."

I took the note, and put it in the pocket of my dress, smiling. Fräulein knew how nervous I was about playing.

Shaking myself out of my thoughts, I hurried down the stairs, where my brothers and sisters were grouped outside the sitting room door.

I walked up behind Louisa. "Why aren't you in there?" I whispered.

"Ah!" She jumped and turned around, glaring at me. "Lisel!"

I laughed. "Sorry, come on, don't be nervous. Are you ready?" I looked mainly at Marta and Gretl. They had never done anything like this before and I wasn't sure how they were in front of people. They nodded shyly, and I pushed them in.

As we walked in, the Baroness looked up from where she was talking with Uncle Max. While my brothers and sisters stepped into the positions that Fräulein had told them to, I stepped forward. "Baroness Schrader, it is our pleasure at this time to welcome you to our household with a song." I performed the best curtsey I could with a guitar in my hand, and stepped back beside my siblings.

Pulling the guitar up into position, I strummed the first few chords as Fräulein had taught me to. Looking at the rest of them, I nodded my head and we began our song.

"The hills are alive

With the sound of music

Ah-ah-ah-ah

With songs they have sung

For a thousand years

The hills fill my heart

With the sound of music

My heart wants to sing every song it hears

My heart wants to beat like the wings of the birds that rise

From the lake to the trees (to the trees)

My heart wants sigh like a chime that flies

From a church on a breeze

To laugh like a brook when it trips and falls

Over stones on its way (on its way)"

Out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw someone standing in the doorway. Thinking it was only Fräulein, coming to see how we were doing; I smiled and thought nothing of it. I knew she would be proud of us.

But then they walked in the room. I knew that Fräulein wouldn't do that. _Just keep singing._ I thought to myself. Glancing over I saw that it was Father.

"To sing thru the night

Like a lark who is learning to pray

I go to the hills

When my heart is lonely"

Stumbling over the words, I realized that he was singing with us! I could only look on in amazement as he kept singing the song that he apparently knew himself.

"I know I will hear

What I heard before

My heart will be blessed

With the sound of music

And I'll sing once more."

As he finished the song, all any of us could do was stare. Our Father, the naval sea captain, who called us with whistles, was singing! About hills! He opened his arms hesitantly to us, as though he wasn't sure we would want to hug him. Brigitta was the first one to rush to his arms. Marta and Gretl nearly threw him over with their excitement. Walking over, I smiled broadly.

Glancing out the door, this time it really was Fräulein. She motioned for Gretl to go over to the Baroness.

She pulled out a small bouquet of edelweiss that she had picked for her yesterday. Doing her own curtsey, Gretl was pulled into a hug by the Baroness.

"You never told me how enchanting your children were!" She smiled. I guess she was a nice lady after all. But what did it matter?

Father was back!

* * *

**A/N:** I know some of you are probably kicking the ass on the little voodoo doll thing of me you have (though how, I don't know) for not putting in Do-Re-Mi, but think...that song is five minutes long, and it took me twice as long as the "Sixteen going on Seventeen" song to put that one up. It would take me much longer to go thru "Do-Re-Mi!" Sorry guys, but yell at me in reviews, because I still answer you, and I'll feel special too! Double bonus!


	12. The vote is unanimous

**A/N: **Ack, I have rehearsal in about an hour and a half and I'm suppose to be off book and I'll give a cookie to anyone that guesses if I am or not! And that's really bad because I only have like a total of like 5 paragraphs for lines! Double ack! But we're doing Grease and I'm not really trying that hard anyways, so...  
**Disclaimer: **Okay, so I attempted to kill the head of Fox Century, but that didn't work, so I'm still stuck here writing this stupid disclaimer.  
**Review Repilies: **I have to say, I'm a little disappointed in the lack of people reviewing. Can't you people love me a little bit more! Ya'll would really make my day!  
_Shannah: _My problem is that I can't just read the song, I have to SING it before I can write it in. And I really wasn't going to write in 'Do-Re-Mi' if I was going to have to sing it. No way in a frozen hell! Anyways, enjoy my excellent story. BTW...do you love this one:P  
_iluvwriting: _Glad you understand about the whole song thing. I tried to make up for it by putting in most of 'Edelweiss', and some of 'The Lonely Goatherd.'  
_Elsey: _Love your name, glad to see a new reader. Keep reading!  
_Aline Banhara: _Everyone's been so nice about the whole 'Do-Re-Mi' thing. It's awesome! Anyways, glad you're back, hope your break wherever you were was fun!

* * *

"Marta! Marta, the curtain!" Marta looked up in surprise as Fräulein Maria whispered loudly at her. She nodded and pulled up the ropes to open the curtain. 

None of us could believe when the marionette set showed up the day before. Friedrich, Louisa, and I were still adjusting to the new Father. Memories of him that I didn't know I had sprung up at random times when he was around us. Memories of him and Mother, and some of just Mother as well.

My thoughts were interrupted by Fräulein Maria singing a song about goat herders.

"…Folks in a town that was quite remote heard  
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo  
Lusty and clear from the goatherd's throat heard  
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo…"

Friedrich held out a puppet of a little goat that I threw on the stage next to the goat herder that Fräulein was controlling. I couldn't remember having this much fun with puppets since Gretl was little.

"…Odl lay ee, odl lay ee (odl lay ee)  
Odl lay hee hee (odl lay hee hee),  
Odl lay ee (odl lay ee)  
Odl lay odl lay (odl lay odl lay),  
Odl lay odl lee (odl lay odl lee)  
Odl lay odl lee (odl lay odl lee)  
Odl lay odl lay odl lay!"

As the song ended, Fräulein let out a puff of air, smiled at me, and motioned that we should all go down to get praise. I smiled and ran down the set of steps that had been set up. Marta and Gretl beat me out and were already curtsying, as was Brigitta, who jumped ahead of me on the stairs.

Gretl ran up to Uncle Max, excitement shining in her eyes. "Can we really keep the puppet show, Uncle Max?"

Marta followed, just as excited. "Yes, may we?"

They both looked up at him with expectant faces, as though they only needed to confirm what was really true. Uncle Max smirked and nodded. "Of course you may my darlings. Why else would I have told the professor to send the bill to your father?"

We all tittered and followed Uncle Max out of the ballroom, into the foyer, followed by Father, the Baroness, and Fräulein Maria.

"Oh, Lisel, we really get to keep it!" Gretl whispered to me with a big smile, then ran ahead.

As we got into the foyer, Uncle Max turned around and faced the group. "Attention! Attention, everyone! I have an announcement to make! Surprise, surprise. Today, after a long and desperate search, I have finally found a most exciting entry for the Salzburg Folk Festival!"

All talking stopped, and everyone looked at Uncle Max, anxiously waiting to hear the group.

Father just chuckled. "Congratulations Max! Who will you be exploiting this time?" He walked out of the ballroom, followed by Fräulein and holding the Baroness' arm.

"Ha ha!" Uncle Max had secretive look on his face. Louisa looked at me with hope brimming over and I slightly nodded.

"The Saint Ignatius Choir?" Baroness guessed.

"Guess again." Uncle Max was having fun making us wait. He knew one of us children would figure it out, but would never say.

"Um…let me see now, uh…the Klopmann Choir?" Father was walking around Uncle Max, studying him carefully.

"No, no, no, no, no." Uncle Max rocked back and forth on his feet, smirking.

"No?" Father looked surprised. He hadn't thought that Uncle Max would get them; he was just making Uncle Max happy.

"No." Uncle Max was bursting at the seams.

I decided to bite at Uncle Max's bait. "Tell us."

"A singing group all in one family. You'll never guess Georg." Uncle Max was still rocking on his feet. Now that he had given away a very big clue, Louisa and Brigitta were smiling broadly. Uncle Max winked at them, then looked at Father.

"What a charming idea. Uh, whose family?" Father had a brief thought that flitted across his face, but other than that, he gave no clues that he knew who Uncle Max was thinking of.

"Yours." Uncle Max stated simply. Louisa just gave me an "I told you so" look. Everyone else just gasped, and then started talking all at once.

"They'll be the talk of the festival." Uncle Max tried to convince Father, whose face showed no signs of either agreement or disapproval. Suddenly, Father started to laugh, something that startled us all.

"Well now, what's so funny?" Looking offended, Uncle Max watched as Father walked over to him.

"You are Max. You're expensive ... but very funny." Father lightly slapped Uncle Max's face, then turned into the parlor.

Following Father, we all giggled. We all knew that although Uncle Max loved us very much, he came to visit so often only for the food.

"But you heard them. They'll be a sensation." He protested, following Father into the parlor. We found Father standing at the brandy bar, pouring himself a drink.

"No Max…" Father said warningly, turning around to face him.

"It's a wonderful idea. Fresh, original…" Uncle Max protested, hoping to get somewhere.

"Max, my children do not sing in public." Father cut him off sharply.

"Well, you can't blame me for trying." Uncle Max mumbled aside to the Baroness, who had looked on with sympathy for Uncle Max.

Fräulein Maria looked around the room, then walked in farther. "Children, who should we hear from next?"

Suddenly, an idea popped into my head. I ran over to Fräulein. "Fräulein, ask Father to sing! He's quite good!"

Fräulein stepped back with a look of shock on her face. "Who?"

"Lisel, who did you say?" Marta asked, looking up at me.

"Father!" I whispered again. Marta and Gretl just looked at me blankly, but Friedrich and Louisa agreed whole-heartedly. Fräulein gave us a skeptic look, but went over, picked up her guitar, and walked over to Father, holding it out.

"The vote is unanimous. You, Captain." Uncle Max and the Baroness looked as shocked as Father did when Fräulein walked over to him.

"I don't understand." He said, still looking shocked.

"Please." Fräulein held the guitar out again. Father looked around, and his eyes stopped on me. He smirked and walked away.

"No, no, no, no, no, no."

"I understand that a long time ago you were quite good." Fräulein followed him.

"Well, that was a very, very, very long time ago." Father stopped and turned around.

"I remember Father." I piped up. Father looked at me, then at the guitar. Pleas from Friedrich and Brigitta stood out, as Fräulein held the guitar out once more.

"Well…" He took the guitar and strummed a few notes as he walked over to one of the couches. I walked over to the seat beside it and smiled at my brothers and sisters as Father began to sing Mother's old lullaby.

"Edelweiss, edelweiss  
Every morning you greet me  
Small and white, clean and bright  
You look happy to meet me."

Memories of my mother started to flood through me as Father kept singing. The first time I remember hearing this song was when Kurt was just a baby. At that point, Friedrich, Louisa, and I shared a room and the other room was a nursery for Kurt. It was late, around 10, and Kurt's crying had woken me up. I heard Mother come into the outside room, and then suddenly Kurt's crying stopped. Our door opened and Mother walked around to all the beds.

"Lisel, what are you doing up?" she asked gently, pulling the covers up closer on me, then sitting down.

"Kurt's crying woke me up. How did you get him to stop?" I asked sleepily.

"With a song." She smiled. "Do you want me to sing it for you?"

"I want you to teach it to me!

" I smiled. "And I want to learn to sing as pretty as you do Mummy!"

She smiled back. "I'll teach it to you in the morning. For now, I'll just sing it. How's that?"

I remember I nodded, **a Ynd** then Father's voice snapped me back to the present.

He was nodding at me to sit on the floor, so that we could harmonize. I slide to the floor, and smiled up at him.

"Edelweiss, (edelweiss) edelweiss (edelweiss)  
Every morning you greet me  
Small and white (small and white), clean and bright (clean and bright)  
You look happy to meet me"

I smiled up at Father, and looking at him, I was forced to remember how much he loved Mother. Thinking about it, I realized just why he had invited the Baroness out here. She was the one he was going to marry! Keeping a smile on my face, I thought some more. Father doesn't look at the Baroness like he looked at Mother. When he looked at Mother, all eyes were on her, not even we could pull him away. Father's attention freely wanders from the Baroness, most of the time to…

…to Fräulein Maria!

* * *

**A/N: **You know, I've never really seen any scenes between Agathe and Lisel before, or any of the children for that matter... 


	13. A party!

**A/N:** So, my musical is over and I'm kinda sad. And I'm kinda sad, because everywhere, everyone is talking about romance and I hate it! But, then again, I'm not kinda sad, because I'm up to Chapter 13! Yea me! This one is kinda short. Sorry. Now, on with the crummy stuff...  
**Disclaimer: **I forgot to tell you: when I went to kill the head of Fox Century, I totally landed him in the hospital! Kidding, kidding! It was only a flesh wound. Not even a pity laugh? Oh wel...  
**Review Repiles: **Only two! Please? puppy face> You people stink!  
_Aline Banhara: _Hey, how's life? Yeah, you don't see many Agatha and children scenes. So, I thought I'd make mine extra special!  
_Maz: _Hey, thanks for reading, keep reviewing!

* * *

"…the Von Trapp Family Singers." 

Uncle Max's voice snapped me out of my reverie. I smiled up at Father, who was looking at Fräulein Maria. He had to be in love with her! There was no other explanation for it all!

Suddenly, the Baroness flew out of her seat and walked over to Father, putting her hands on his shoulder. "I have a wonderful idea, Georg. Let's really fill this house with music. You must give a grand and glorious party for me while I'm here."

"A party?" Father looked up at the Baroness in shock. I was in agreement with Father. While I wasn't in disagreement with it, I was a little hesitant to jump at the idea. A party in honor of Baroness Schrader would mean that Father was quite serious about wanting to marry her. And that couldn't be so because he was in love with Fräulein Maria! My head was reeling from all the details and everything was coming and going so fast. I barely heard Fräulein telling us to go to bed.

I got up, kissed Father and Uncle Max, said good night to the Baroness and left the room, tagging after Louisa and Brigitta, who were both unimpressed by the party.

"Louisa!" I hissed. When she turned around, I nodded for her to fall back to me. "After the little ones are in bed, bring Brigitta into my room. I want to talk to you about something." She nodded vaguely to show that she understood, stifling a yawn underneath her hand.

Going up the stairs, Gretl raced past me, anxious to catch up with Marta. Before she could reach her though, Louisa reached out and threw Gretl up onto her back, Gretl shrieking the whole time. Friedrich and Marta had their special relationship and Louisa and Gretl had theirs. Just as Marta was the first baby Friedrich could actively remember, it was the same for Gretl and Louisa and Brigitta. For some reason, the three of them always stuck close by each other. While I was usually the one Gretl came to when she was scared or upset, she always approached Louisa or Brigitta first for a nice play. Brigitta could make up stories and Louisa could help Gretl act them out, usually Louisa playing the prince and Gretl as the princess.

Reaching the common room, I could hear Fräulein trying to claim Gretl down. Louisa had apparently riled her up well. Walking in, I saw Marta being chased by Brigitta, who was being chased by Gretl. Watching come running over by me, I braced myself to catch Gretl, who for being five, still hadn't lost all of her baby fat. First came Marta, followed by Brigitta, who was yelling at Marta. Watching for Gretl, I quickly grabbed her around the middle and pulled her up in the air, where she screamed louder. Marta and Brigitta turned around to look at her and fell on the floor from laughing so hard.

Fräulein Maria walked out of the boy's room and looked around at the mess we girls had created.

"Liesl! Put Gretl down!" Instead of Gretl letting me put her down on the floor, the command to put her down seemed an invitation for her to jump on feet.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" I jumped around, holding my foot as best I could with my dress as restricting as it was.

Fräulein placed her hands on her hips and just smiled. "God is punishing you. If you hadn't picked Gretl up in the first place, there would've been reason for her to jump on your toe in the first place."

"Thank you Fräulein, for your love and sympathy." I said with a most sarcastic smile on my face.

"You're welcome. You two." She pointed to Gretl and Marta, then pointed to the bathroom. "Now. Brigitta, thank you for your help in trying to round them up. Liesl, will you help me in the bathroom?"

I nodded, picking Marta up by the waist and carrying her, still screaming, into the bathroom, my toe throbbing the whole way.

Later, after Gretl and Marta were in bed, clean and bathed, Louisa and Brigitta snuck into my room.

"Liesl…" Brigitta's sentence was cut off by a yawn. "What'd you want to talk to us about?"

"I don't think that Father loves the Baroness." I stated simply, crossing my legs underneath my covers. For being mid-summer, the night air was unusually cool.

"Of course not." Louisa retorted, her face contorted as though she had eaten a lemon. "Who could? She's…how would you describe her Brigitta?"

"Despicable." She said, not even looking up from the book she picked up, in a vague, kind of dreamy voice.

"Brigitta, are you talking about the Baroness or a character?" I said, looking over at her, smiling.

"I'm talking about how Miss Pross and Madame Defarge fight until the death." She grimly answered. "Liesl, you should really read this book. It'd be an excellent way for you to study the French Revolution!" Looking up, she handed me the book.

"Angel, I've already read A Tale of Two Cities. I read it when Fräulein Martina was here." I smiled at her. "Besides, you picked it up off of my table. I'm reading it again. Put the book down. I want to talk to you."

"About what?" Louisa asked, getting comfortable, grabbing a pillow and setting it in her lap.

"Like I said, I don't think that Father loves the Baroness. I think he's in love with someone else."

"Who?" Brigitta, who had refused to put down her book, looked up suddenly.

"Fräulein Maria!" Louisa shouted, getting up and pacing.

"Shh!" I scolded, looking carefully at my door. "If she comes in now, we won't be able to finish our conversation!" A knock at the door confirmed my worst fears.

"Liesl?" I let the air in my lungs out. It was only Father. "Can I come in?"

"Yes, Father." I said, going over to unlock the door.

He walked and stopped when he saw Louisa and Brigitta in my room, one pacing, and the other sitting in my chair, totally involved in a book. "Louisa, Brigitta, it's past bed time." He said, walking over to Brigitta and taking her book.

"Father! I have one more paragraph and I'm done! Please! It's one of the most famous excerpts by Dickens!" She begged, surprised to see him standing over her.

"You can finish it in the morning. Bed." He pointed to the door.

"Yes Father." She stood up and went to leave. Father pulled her back and kissed the top of her head.

"Good night love." He handed her book, pushing out gently. "You too Louisa."

"But Father…" she whined, looking at him.

"Good night kido." He said, kissing her on the top of the head as well, pushing her out.

"Was there something you wanted, Father?" I asked, looking at him from my bed.

"Just to say good night." He walked over to my bed and kissed the top of my head. "Why were Lou and Brigitta in your room anyways?"

"Oh, we were just…talking about the Baroness." I plastered a smile on my face.

"Oh, yes, she is a lovely lady." He said, absent-mindedly stroking my hair.

"Lovely wasn't exactly the word we used." I muttered under my breath.

"What was that?" He asked, looking down at me.

"Nothing." I faked a yawn. "It's been a long day Father. I think I'm going to go to sleep now."

"Of course." He walked over to my door and flipped the light switch as I crawled underneath the covers. "Good night Liesl."

"Good night Father." I murmured as I snuggled underneath my covers. My last conscious thought was about how lucky we were that Fräulein had come when she did.

* * *

**A/N: **I'll give you a cookie if you review... 


	14. Pretty in Pink

**Pretty in Pink  
**Posted: July 4, 2005

**A/N: **Hope ya'll are having a happy fourth. Mine was excellent. Spent in the hot Montgomery heat with a bunch of old people! Good times. But I did get interviewed by the newspaper man that was there! Yea me! And some Germany lady asked me to pose for her art class! Again, yea me! But then my uncle ruined it for me by asked if they were doing a certain artist who did nude models and I told him I was no hussy (though some would disagree)...anyways, on with the show! Sorry, it took so long to come. Part of this chapter was written by my wonderful beta, AmandaSarah, who I don't know if I could leave without! Oh, and btw, I know I'm missing those little dots over the 'a' in 'fraulein,' but since I'm down with my aunt and uncle for the summer, I'm using their computer, and for some strange reason, their computer doesn't have it. What poop-butts. So, I know they belong there, but they aren't there. Don't shoot me, shoot the freakin' Word system. Actually, don't, because then I won't be able to do any of Chapter 15.  
**Disclaimer: **When I tried to claim this as my own, little zombie lawyers that were in cahoots with Rodgers and Hammerstein came after me. Almost like in that Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker movie, 'Hocus Pocus.' That movie kind of sucked...  
**Review Replies:  
**_Shannah: _You know, you could've left two reviews, one for each chapter. That would've made me feel real special because then I would've had two more posts! I'd feel pretty, oh so pretty...I'm glad the transactions are good, I've always had trouble with those.  
_Aline Banhara: _That name always fascinates me, where did you get it? Anyways, thanks for the wonderful compliment! It made my day!

* * *

The preparations for the party took up much of the Baroness' time, much to all of our relief. This gave Father more time to spend with us, although occasionally, the Baroness did ask for his suggestions on the catering, her dress, the guest list, or some other mindless detail. The days went by swiftly, not really running together, but standing out by the fun times we had. To keep us 'out of the way,' as the Baroness suggested, Fraulein took us out on other picnics and outings in Salzburg, many with Father. Both Louisa and I noticed that Marta and Gretl's clinging to Father, as did the jokes that Kurt and Friedrich played and always finding Brigitta where she shouldn't be. But the one thing that worried both of us most was her annoyance of all of us in general. 

But these worries weren't crucial at the moment. What was crucial was 'party dresses.'

'Oh darling, don't you think Louisa would look darling in pink?' the Baroness cooed to Father at the dinner table a week before the party.

Friedrich and Kurt laughed into their custard as Louisa alternated between glaring at Friedrich and Kurt and the Baroness.

'Boys.' Father scolded as he looked warningly at Louisa. 'Actually, pink looks better on Marta. It goes with her dark hair better.' Father smiled at Marta, who was sitting by Fraulein, who beamed back. His glance shifted over to Fraulein slightly. She noticed his glance and quickly became absorbed in helping Marta with her napkin. The Baroness' face fell, much to my delight, with a soft 'oh.'

'Father?' Gretl asked from his left.

'Yes Gretl?' Father looked away from Fraulein to answer Gretl.

'Are we going to get new dresses for the party?' she asked, always eager to go into town with Fraulein.

'I'm not sure yet, Gretl. Perhaps Fraulein Maria could make you some from sheets?' We all laughed at the idea of dresses out of sheets, except for Fraulein, who blushed, and the Baroness who looked as though she would gladly ship us all off somewhere.

'Well, Georg, I think it's a wonderful idea.' the Baroness recovered.

'Really, Elsa, the children have plenty of…'

'Oh no!' the Baroness interrupted. 'This kind of party requires new clothes all together, don't you agree Fraulein?'

We all looked at Fraulein, who blushed again. 'It is entirely your choice, Captain. If you would like, I can take the children into Salzburg tomorrow.' she managed.

Father looked from Gretl and Marta's eager faces to Friedrich and Kurt's pained ones and came to a conclusion. 'Tomorrow, you all go into Salzburg.'

'Hurray!' cheered Gretl and Marta. Although I myself felt like cheering, I left it at a grateful smile to Father.

'And,' he said, quieting Marta and Gretl, 'I shall be joining you.'

As my smile grew wider and Friedrich, Louisa, and Kurt joined in the cheering, I couldn't help but notice that the Baroness's face had a fallen appearance and Fraulein Maria's had an almost scared one.

Walking through the streets of Salzburg the next day, I heard my two littlest sisters chatting back and forth with Father, who was carrying Gretl on his shoulders. Louisa, Friedrich, and Kurt were complaining again.

'…and to think that I could've been beating Friedrich in a race right now, but no,' Louisa started again, careful to keep out of Father's earshot.

'Louisa…' Fraulein warned, looked at her. Louisa had the decency to blush while she was looking at her.

'I agree.' Friedrich piped up. 'Wait!' He cried indignantly. 'You never beat me! You had Brigitta trip me!'

'That's' right Lou!' Kurt agreed. 'You did the same thing to me two weeks ago!'

'Yea!' Friedrich and Kurt were starting to get riled up, when Father stepped in.

'Boys!' he scolded. 'Let's go find you some outfits. Liesl, help Fraulein Maria.' he told me, dragging Kurt and Friedrich to a nearby store.

'Yes Father.' I said, taking both Marta and Gretl's hands. 'Fraulein Maria! This is one we've bought from before!' I called her back, where she was trying to drag Brigitta out of a book store.

Walking in, I felt a chill go up and down my spine. This was it, where my new dress was.

'Marta, Gretl, you look around. STAY IN THE STORE!' I told them firmly. 'If you want to leave, you let me know first alright?'

They both nodded, the heat of midday causing them to become rather lethargic. They walked over to another rack of dresses and began looking, while I stayed close to the door in case they decided to run off. As I was looking, Fraulein Maria appeared in the door.

'Ah, Liesl. Louisa and Brigitta found dresses in another shop two doors down. Are Marta and Gretl with you?'

'Yes, they're looking towards the back of the store.' I said vaguely, my eyes widening at the sight of a hideous orange dress on the rack.

'I'll go get them and take them with me. Come meet us when you're done, alright?' Nodding, I pulled a white dress of the rack.

The dress in itself was nothing special. It had short sleeves and fell to my knees. What really pulled my attention in was the simplicity of the yellow around the waist of the dress that gave it just enough elegance for a sixteen going on seventeen year old.

'Liesl? Where did you say Marta and Gretl were?' Fraulein hurried over to me.

'In the back, why?' I looked up startled. 'They couldn't have left without me seeing them.'

'They aren't there. They must have snuck out when you weren't looking!' Fraulein Maria said. 'Come on. We have to go find them!' She ran out of the store, with me following close behind.

'Fraulein! I'll go this way, while you let Louisa and Brigitta know!' she nodded her agreement and I started running down the streets of Salzburg, looking for Marta's hat or Gretl's braids.

'Marta! Gretl! Oh! Excuse…Rolf!' I had run into Rolf, not paying any attention to where I was going.

'Liesl!' he quickly shoved something red into his pocket. 'What's wrong?'

'Marta and Gretl are missing! Can you help me find them?' I asked, breathless.

He nodded and turned me around. 'Of course, but first you should retrace your steps. You might have missed them somewhere.' I took a quick breath and nodded.

'Are you still thinking about going back to Vienna at the beginning of the school term?' I asked him as we walked. His idea of retracing my steps seemed to have calmed me down.

'I haven't decided yet. There may be some things that keep me here.' he smiled at me. Blushing, I put my head down, not quite sure how I felt about that.

As we got closer to the stores, I became more alert, looking for Marta's hat or Gretl's braids, knowing if I found one, I'd find the other.

'Liesl!' Fraulein Maria called my name from the fountain, where Marta and Gretl sat next to Brigitta. 'They were in the store the whole time!' she laughed. 'They fell asleep in the dressing room and came out to find Brigitta the only one here!'

'Oh, thank goodness!' I cried, relived to find my littlest sisters safe.

'Are we going to tell Father?' Gretl pulled on Fraulein Maria's dress.

'Yes, I don't want to get in trouble!' Marta put her arms around my waist.

'What aren't we going to tell Father?' Father walked up, followed by my two disgruntled brothers.

Fraulein looked at the girls, then at me, questioning me with her eyes.

'Marta and Gretl fell asleep in the store and we hadn't realized they had crawled into one of the racks.' I smiled at him. 'Like you lost Kurt when he was four.'

Everyone looked at Father. 'Another time, perhaps. Who is your friend, Liesl?' he asked, turning the attention away from him. He had a look of confused reorganization on his face, as though he had met Rolf before.

'Father, this is Rolf. Rolf, this is my father, Captain von Trapp.' I introduced the two. 'Rolf is a friend from school.'

'It's a pleasure to meet you, sir.' Rolf held his hand out for Father to shake. For some reason, Father did not return the gesture.

'Do you help support your family, young man?' Father asked, eyeing Rolf over.

'Yes sir. Every since my father died when I was 12, sir, I took up odd jobs to help my mother. When we moved to Salzburg, I received a semi-permanent job delivering telegrams.' he said, withdrawing his hand.

'Do you have any plans…'

'Rolf, didn't you say you had to meet your sister to help pick out a gift for your mother?' I interrupted him, surprised with Father's interrogation of him.

'Thank you for reminding me Liesl. It was a pleasure to meet you Captain. It was a pleasure seeing you again Fraulein.' He nodded to Fraulein, who had stayed in the back during this meeting, and he walked away. A few yards off, the red material he had stuck in his pocket dropped out.

'I'll get it!' Louisa offered, run forward. 'Rolf!' He turned around and walked back to her. Picking up the material, she looked at it, then back to Rolf. He snatched it back and walked away without saying anything. Louisa stood there in a state of shock. Turning around, she looked hard at me, then shook her head and looked away.

Fraulein Maria must have noticed the depressed mood that was setting in, since she mentioned the dress I had found to Father.

'Well, Liesl, let's go see this marvelous dress.' He held out his arm for me to place mine thru his. I took the invitation and led him, Fraulein Maria, Marta, and Gretl to see my new party dress.

* * *

**A/N: **Please, if you love me, review. It makes me feel loved! 


	15. No champagne for you

**No champagne for you  
**Posted: July 16, 2005

**A/N:** Any Harry Potter freaks out there enjoying 'Half-Blood Prince' want to tell me if all of my Ron/Hermione dreams come true and they FINALLY release all that sexual tension that they have? If not, don't worry, I'll get myself the book sooner or later. Anyways, hope everyone had a pleasant Bastille Day and all that impiles for your nationality. This one came out in two parts and then I tried to mesh them seamlessly. Let me know how it turned out. BTW...in case anyone cares to e-mail me personally, I have changed my e-mail address, I got sick of being a beautiful French flower and decided to be a sultry Spanish rose:-P Enjoy!  
**Disclaimer: **Since I've changed my e-mail address, I tried to e-mail the people who own 'The Sound of Music' and tell them I am a descendent of Maria and they should give me full legal rights so I could earn money from this. Sadly, they found me out and I am typing this from a federal jail in my hometown. Kidding!  
**Review Repiles**: There was a lot this time!  
_iluvwriting:_ For the longest time, I sat there trying to figure out which part you were talking about for Louisa looking at Liesl, because there's a lot of those in this chapter, and then I realized, 'Der, she's talking about Rolf's red thing.' Silly me. Ya'll get a lot more of Louisa's looks in this chapter!  
_Shannah:_ Either way, it's an update. I wanted Georg to meet Rolf again in a situation which would embarass Liesl like my father has done for me so many times and it seemed like the perfect oppourtunity. Please, I had wanted to let SOMEBODY know before Liesl that Rolf was a Nazi. Wink, wink, hint, hint Aline! Anywways, Georg popped into my head, said 'Let me embarass Liesl, here's how...' and since no one can turn down that sexy man...  
_Aline Banhara: _I hope you noticed the winking and shoving in the above note because that should clue you in to what the red thing was. If not, tell me when you find out or I'll let you know when it comes up again. I've never been one for writing good cliffhangers or sob stories, but I personally think that this last part is a BYOT. Thanks for being a faithful reviewer!  
_Straycat1: _Thanks for leaving the reveiw. The issue with the names cleared up with my beta. My eyesight can be crappy even with my contacts in and I was reading the name off the back of the soundtrack and the print on that thing is tiny! My beta corrected me and so now all is well, right? Glad that the characters become so alive for you. It's intersting for me because there's a small possibilty that 'The Sound of Music' could be my senior musical (pray for me) and, not meaning to brag, since I'm one of the better actors/singers in our school (which isn't saying much for my school) I'm hoping I'll get a good role, like Maria, Liesl, or the best yet, the Baroness. This would make doing a character sketch easier. Anyways, sorry, for the ramble, hope you continue to leave reviews. Enjoy!

* * *

The night of the party, the house was in a frenzy. Frau Schmidt was upset because the caterers had taken over her kitchen and the Baroness was upset because she felt that Frau Schmidt was causing problems on purpose, not to mention that the orchestra was running late. Shame on Frau Schmidt for wanting to feed the family was heard many times during the day out of Louisa's mouth, which always got her a nice scowl from Father or Fraulein. 

Fraulein Maria was trying to calm down Marta, who had come down with a severe case of stage fright and wasn't 'prepared as she could be.'

'But Marta,' Fraulein insisted. ', you have a beautiful voice and are quite prepared.' she gave her a quick hug. 'Now, come on, let's go get you ready. Your father will be very upset if you just don't sparkle in that new dress, alright?' Marta smiled, as Fraulein wiped away the last remaining tears from her face. Fraulein got up and started to lead Marta into the room where Gretl was busy getting ready with Louisa, but I stopped her.

'Fraulein, you need to go get ready yourself. Louisa and I can get the girls ready.' I said, taking Marta's hand.

'Really, Liesl, I'll be fine, I don't have to do…' She protested.

'No!' I smiled, pushing her out the door. 'You need to go prepare yourself. This is the first time many of the guests will be seeing you and you want to look you're best. Go!' I shut the door gently in her face and gently pushed Marta in the direction of her room, as I crossed over to check on Brigitta.

'Brigitta?' I knocked on the door.

'Come in.' I opened the door to find her sitting at her vanity, brushing her hair. 'Did you need something Liesl?'

'Just checking on you.' I told her, standing behind her, so that both our reflections were showing back in the mirror. 'You know, you're hair is just like Mother's.' I said, taking the brush from her hands and brushing it myself.

'Really?' Brigitta looked at me through the mirror. 'In pictures, it always looks more like Marta's.'

'No, Marta has hair like our maternal grandmother. Mother got a mix of both of her parents. You got all of Mother's hair. The color, the texture, the ability to grow it long. You're the only one whose hair will grow this long and still look nice. I hope you're wearing it all down.' I said, still brushing it.

'Yes. I'm just putting in a simple hair band that matches my dress.' she said, holding up a piece of material.

'It's a good color on you. It will contrast in your hair nicely.' I told her, setting down the brush. 'Did you sign the card for Fraulein?' I asked her, as I walked out of the room she shared with Louisa.

'Yes.' She got up and went to get a book off of her nightstand. I turned around and started to close the door. 'Liesl?' I turned around. 'Thank you.'

'Your welcome, Brigitta. It's why Father tended to go lighter on you when punishments were handed out.' I smiled at her and closed the door and walked across the room to where the boys' room was and knocked.

'It's safe to come in.' Kurt said through the closed door.

'Thank you. I came to get the box.' I said, opening the door. Friedrich reached under his bed and pulled a box out to hand to me. 'Thank you. Did you both sign the card?' They both nodded and I backed out of the room. 'Good, hurry up, we want to get over there before people start to arrive.'

I shut their door and turned around, just as Louisa followed Gretl and Marta out of their room. 'Well, look at you. Just like little princesses. Ready to sign the card for the royal governess?' I laughed.

'We already did.' giggled Gretl. 'Louisa helped us.'

'Good, then everybody's signed it and as soon as Brigitta puts her book down,' I yelled in her direction. 'We can go give it to her.' I smiled as she walked out of her room and shut the door. 'Let's go.'

I opened the doors and led everyone across the grand staircase.

'Look, people are arriving already.' Gretl pointed to a group of people coming.

'That's the orchestra. Perhaps now the Baroness won't be quite so cranky. I'll get them. Friedrich, you take the box up to Fraulein's.' I handed him the box and walked over to the group of people, looking confused. 'Good evening, sir. Are you the conductor hired by Baroness Schraeder?' I asked him.

He turned around and bowed. 'Yes ma'am. Do you know where she would like us to set up?' He asked.

'Yes, please follow me.' I motioned for them to gather their things and they followed me into the ballroom. 'Right here in this corner should do nicely. If she asks you to move, I apologize in advance.'

'Quite alright. Thank you. Any special requests for the lady?' He asked, as the rest of the group began setting up.

'Could you play the Laendler at some point tonight?' I asked him. He nodded and turned back to setting up.

I backed up and watched for a few moments, before turning around and going the rest of the way up to Fraulein's room, where the sound of laughter could be heard, mainly from Gretl and Marta. The box sat outside in the hallway. I picked it up and walked into the room, where all the girls were piled on the bed, giggling, and the boys standing behind them, looking bored.

'Where's Fraulein Maria?' I asked, walking in, taking in the site. 'Gretl, don't sit like that, you'll wrinkle your dress.' I told her and she immediately straightened up.

'In the bathroom, changing.' Brigitta said, from where she sat on the corner closest to me.

'We're helping her pick out a dress to wear tonight.' Marta giggled from her spot by the headboard, right in front of Friedrich.

'How about this one?' she came out of the bathroom, wearing the dress she wore when she first met us. We all laughed.

'What's all the noise up here…Fraulein, I hope you're not wearing that tonight, begging pardon.' Father walked in, trying to hold back a smile seeing the dress she was wearing.

'No, Father. She's going to wear this one.' I said, handing her the box. Marta, Gretl, and Brigitta grinned broadly and Louisa, Kurt, and Friedrich straightened up and paid attention.

'What is it?' Fraulein questioned, looking at Father, who merely shrugged back.

'My guess would be some sort of outfit.' he said.

'Open it Fraulein!' Gretl begged, nearly jumping up and down.

Looking at us, she slowly took the ribbon off the box and took the lid off. 'Oh, children!' she gasped as she opened it. 'To our favorite Fraulein. As an apology for the earlier tricks.' she read from the card on top. 'So do you admit to the frog?' she smiled at us.

'Frog?' Father looked at us, his face becoming serious.

'Another time perhaps Captain.' she said, changing the subject quickly, realizing her mistake. 'You're right, Liesl. I will wear this one tonight.' She took the dress with her and shut the door to the bathroom just as the Baroness walked in.

'There you are Georg.' she had on a rather gaudy, gold dress, with a huge amount of netting on one side and white elbow gloves on. 'Guests are starting to arrive.' she tried to usher him out.

'Of course. Liesl, Louisa, will you come with me? There's something I want to give to both of you.' He said, starting out.

'Of course, Father. But can it wait?' I asked him.

'Yes, I want to see Fraulein in her dress!' Louisa insisted.

'You can see Fraulein in her dress…' the Baroness started.

'That's fine, Louisa. It can wait…' he said cutting her off, but stopped as Fraulein walked out of her bathroom with the dress on.

'Oh, Fraulein Maria!' Brigitta gasped.

The mountain sky blue bodice fit her in all the right places, and the flowered skirt flowed down, accenting her legs wonderfully. 'You look beautiful, Fraulein.' Louisa said, in one of her rare girly moments.

'Thank you Louisa.' she hugged Gretl close. 'Thank you all, it's wonderful. Is something wrong Captain?' she asked. Father hadn't said anything since she walked out and just stood staring at her.

'No, nothing wrong Fraulein.' He shook his head. 'Girls, come along. I have to go get your gifts out of my office.' he took off, ahead of the Baroness, who was also looking at Fraulein, but had been alternating between her and Father.

'This dress is just suited towards you Fraulein.' she remarked before leaving.

Louisa and I looked at each other and both of us realized that, coming from the Baroness, that hadn't been a compliment.

'Come on children.' Fraulein Maria said, quite unfazed by the Baroness's comment. 'We don't want to keep your Father waiting.' She herded Marta and Gretl out, took Brigitta's hand and started out into the hallway.

'Why, what gives the Baroness the right…' Louisa started.

'Louisa, don't start.' Friedrich warned, looking at her.

'What gives you the right to tell me to stop?' she asked him, offended.

'Because, whether you choose to remember or not, I am your big brother.' He said, rolling his eyes. 'Come on Kurt, before we get in the middle of a cat fight.' Louisa stuck her tongue out at Friedrich and Kurt's retreating backs.

'Come on Louisa.' I said, pushing her out of the room and closing the door behind me. 'You know, he's right. He is your big brother.'

'I know, but he doesn't act like it most of the time.' she said, walking beside me down the hallway.

'You'd be surprised how often he does.' I told her, putting my hand on the staircase and looking around as we walked down. 'Look at her.' I said, indicating for Louisa to stop and look at the Baroness. She was walking around, telling waiters where to go and then she disappeared into the ballroom.

'Most likely to tell the orchestra to move.' Louisa said. 'I can't believe…' she was cut off by Father, holding something behind his back, coming out of his office and motioning us to join our siblings and Fraulein in a small group by the stairs.

'Girls, this is your first large party as young adults. I wanted to get you each something to commemorate it.' From behind his back, he pulled out two boxes, one a small cube, the other a rectangle and handed the smaller one to me and the larger one to Louisa. 'Liesl, you first.'

I took the box from him and opened it, pulling out a small bouquet of my favorite flower, edelweiss. 'Oh, edelweiss! Thank you, Father!' I smiled and rushed over to him to give him a hug.

'You're welcome Liesl. Now you, Lou.' He returned the hug and looked at Louisa, using his nickname for her.

She took the lid of slowly and pulled out a white shoe. 'A pair of shoes?' she questioned him. I smiled. She didn't look very closely at them.

'Look closer, Louisa.' Fraulein said, noticing what she hadn't. She looked at them from the side and her eyes widened.

'My first pair of heels!' She smiled broadly at him and rushed to give him a hug as well. He enveloped her with his other arm and kissed her head then mine.

'Liesl got hers when she was 13 and now it's your turn. I didn't think Friedrich would appreciate a pair of heels, so I didn't get him one.' he smiled at Friedrich who laughed.

I looked at Louisa, who looked at me, then we looked at Fraulein Maria, who had Marta on one side, Gretl on the other and Brigitta in front of her, all grinning, and Friedrich and Kurt standing in between the two groups, looking around, but smiling none the less. We looked like a complete family, a mother, a father, and seven children.

I could only hope that this was a peek of things to come in our future.

Later in the evening, we all stood out in the terrace. Father and the Baroness had started greeting guests and Fraulein had gone off to explore the gardens, something she hadn't had a chance to do in her few weeks here yet. Bunched up by one of the doors, we stood outside, watching the different patterns on the dresses swirl into one color as the couples danced by.

'The women look so beautiful.' Brigitta sighed, leaning against the door.

'I think they look ugly.' Kurt retorted, making a face.

Louisa laughed. 'You just say that because you're scared of them.' I walked away from the argument, knowing that Kurt and Louisa could go on forever. Looking at the sky, I was vaguely reminded of the night that Rolf kissed me. The temperature was about the same and the arguing in the background as I left hadn't changed either.

Suddenly Rolf, dressed in coattails and gloves, and not looking like himself at all, asked me to dance. Looking around, I saw that he was motioning to me. I nodded, curtsied and started to dance. It was wonderful, the feel of his hand in mine, his arm…

'Liesl, who are you dancing with?' Brigitta asked. Drat little sisters!

'Nobody.' I said, trying to ignore her, knowing it wouldn't work.

'Oh, yes you are.' The smile on her lips could be heard in her sentence. Somebody tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around and there was Friedrich, bowing gracefully to me.

'May I have this dance?' he asked, mocking the gentlemen inside.

'I'd be delighted, young man.' I smiled at him and curtsied, just as I had done for the Rolf that didn't exist.

Friedrich took my hand and started to lead me around the terrace. I smiled at him and he smiled back and I knew that we were both thinking of when Mother and Father had taught us how to dance and how disgusted we were that we had to hold hands with each other.

'Well, why didn't you children tell me you could dance?' Fraulein interrupted us mid-waltz. Kurt stepped forward.

'We were afraid you'd make us all dance together – the von Trapp Family Dancers!' he did a little spin as we all laughed. Suddenly, the Laendler started and memories of learning it came rushing back.

'What's that they're playing?' Gretl asked. I had forgotten that she and Marta would be too young to remember the song at all. Friedrich and I, if pushed, could probably remember the dance, and Louisa, Kurt, and possibly Brigitta would remember the song. Mother and Father had taught us the dance. Lost in my memories, I hadn't realized that Fraulein was showing Kurt the dance now and he was horrible at it!

'Liesl, look!' Louisa nudged me and I noticed Father standing in the doorway, putting on his gloves and silently laughing at Kurt's poor showing. He walked over to Kurt and tapped him on the head.

'Do allow me, will you?' He smiled. Kurt readily agreed, the dance being harder then it looked. Before we knew it, Fraulein and Father were intertwined in a dance that had once only belonged, it seemed, to only Father and Mother.

'Liesl, it's just like when Mother and Father did it!' Friedrich whispered to me.

'Glad you finally jumped on the wagon and noticed the destination, Friedrich. Liesl, Louisa, and I had this figured out weeks ago!' Brigitta whispered at him, entranced by the couple. Louisa and I merely smiled at each other.

'I don't remember any more.' Fraulein said, pulling back from the dance, her face flushed.

'Your face is all red.' Brigitta said, stepping closer to her, trying to get a better look.

'Is it? I don't suppose I'm used to dancing.' Fraulein put her hands up to her cheeks, trying to hide the red in them.

'Vulture incoming.' Louisa whispered in my ear. I looked over and saw the Baroness walking out onto the terrace.

'Why, that was beautifully done. What a lovely couple you make.' She said, her smile clearly stating otherwise.

'Yes, I think it's time the, uh, children said good night.' He said, trying to hide his embarrassment, motioning for us to follow him.

Fraulein, along with the rest of us, started to back away. 'Yes. We'll be in the hall in a moment. We've got something very special prepared. Right?'

'Yes!' we all chorused and ran out through the gardens to the front of the house.

'Liesl?' Brigitta sidled up next to me as we ran in the driveway.

'Yes?' I looked down at her, her face somewhat flushed. 'You'll do fine. Just remember how pretty you look with Mother's hair.' I told her, smiling wide as she nodded and ran up to catch up with Louisa, where they practiced twirling and skipping.

'Are you all ready?' Fraulein asked at the front doors, which had been left unlocked, even after the last guests had arrived. Various nodding answered her and she opened the door, allowing us to enter and then walked off.

'Alright, we'll all do fine. You know the song, you know the dance, and you know Father will love it.' I smiled at them. Gretl was the only one who didn't smile back.

'Gretl, don't be scared.' Louisa said, touching her head. 'Here, can we make a change, quickly?' She asked, looking around at us. 'Gretl, you can be behind me instead of behind Kurt, alright?' She looked from Gretl to Marta, whom she would have to change with. Marta, Kurt, and Gretl all nodded, Gretl looking much more relived.

'Your father is up front.' Fraulein told us.

We turned around and lined up ready to make our performance.

'There's a sad sort of clanging from the clock in the hall

And the bells in the steeple too

And up in the nursery an absurd little bird

Is popping out to say 'cuckoo''

Friedrich, Louisa, and Kurt had moved in front of Brigitta, Gretl, and Marta and the younger three were popping their heads out from behind them.

'Regretfully they tell us

But firmly they compel us

To say goodbye

To you!'

We all moved out onto the floor, my face bursting with excitement. Fraulein had asked Father as part of the plan if I could stay longer, because I was 16. He had given her an answer, but part of the plan was for him to actually tell me tonight. I couldn't wait.

'So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, good night.

I hate to go and leave this pretty sight.'

Marta was the first to leave and we all had cues to kick us out. Gretl was the one in the back doing the majority of the kicking, as she was always prone to do.

'So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, adieu

Adieu, adieu, to yieu and yieu and yieu.'

Friedrich left and it was finally my turn. I could barely hold in the excitement.

'So long, farewell, au revoir, auf Wiedersehen

I'd like to stay and taste my first champagne.'

This was my cue to go over to Father and ask him. 'Yes?'

'No.' He curtly told me, my face fell and I stepped back in line just in time for Kurt to kick me upstairs. I didn't really pay attention to the rest of the song, only waited for my cue to go down and get Gretl.

Once I saw her sitting on the steps, I started down and picked her up as the rest waved goodbye and sang.

'Liesl?' Gretl asked sleepily in my arms.

'Yes, Gretl?' I looked down at her as I got to the top of the stairs.

'Do you think Father liked the song?' She asked, nesting her head into my shoulder more.

'I think he loved the song Gretl.' I replied, walking into the nursery and motioning for Friedrich and Kurt to close the doors behind me.

The song and the party, as far as we were concerned, had been a success.

* * *

'Jessica Emmeline! You are officially late for curfew!' Max Hayden walked into the room where Liesl and four of her granddaughters sat. 

'Max, it's my entire fault really. I was telling them a story.' Liesl looked up at her middle son standing in the doorway.

'It's alright, Mum. I understand.' Max looked at his mother and smiled. 'Which story?'

'The longest one there is. The one about all the governesses.' she smiled at him, knowing that he already knew the story.

'One of my favorites because it has a happy ending.' he said, plopping down next to his daughter.

'Don't ruin it for us, Uncle Max!' cried Kara, 10, who already knew how it ended.

'Your mum is looking for you, Kara. She said something about a boy calling?' Max teased. Kara gasped and jumped up.

'John!' She ran out of the room, straight for the hall where the phone sat and started to call home.

'Grand mummy, aren't you going to finish the story? I want to know more about Rolf!' Amanda, 11, said, looking back at her grandmother, who sat with her legs folded Indian style on the floor next to her.

'How about tomorrow? Because I believe that you and Shannon need to get home. You have dance in an hour and Agathe needs to feed you yet.' Liesl got to her feet and helped pull up her twin granddaughters, the youngest of her oldest child and only daughter. Liesl didn't have the problem with girls that her mother seemed to have had.

The girls climbed up and challenged eight year old Jessica to a race upstairs for their things.

Liesl and Max watched them for a while, then walked into Liesl's kitchen.

'How are you holding up, Mum?' Max asked, sitting on one of the bar stools.

'I've had better days, Max.' Liesl said, turning to the fridge. 'Do you want something to drink?' Max declined and Liesl went to sit beside him. 'It's hard losing a parent. And losing Father is like losing him twice. You've heard the story from all seven of us. You know how hardit was beforeand how it turned out after.'

'But it'll get better, Mum, I promise. Besides, with Grammy Maria staying here, you need to stay positive for her.'

'I am Max, don't worry.' Liesl patted his hand, as Jessica, Amanda, and Shannon came running into the kitchen, followed by an aged Maria.

'Max, you need to teach them not to pick on the younger ones.' Maria walked in and enveloped Jessica into a hug from behind.

'Grammy Maria, it's natural. Didn't Mum pick on Aunt Gretl and Aunt Marta?' Max looked at his mother for help.

'Goodness, no. I was too busy trying to get Louisa off of Friedrich and Kurt. I didn't have time to tease Gretl and Marta! Brigitta took care of that for me!' Liesl laughed.

'Yes, well, still, Amanda, Shannon, treat your cousin with more respect!' Maria mockingly yelled at them. 'I'll pull out Georg's whistle.' she said and suddenly, her face fell.

'Come on girls, let's go. Mandy, Shannon, your mum wants me to bring you home. Kara, come on, I'm taking you home now!Come on.' the girls each gave Maria a hug and left quietly. 'I love you, Grammy.' Max said, hugging her.

'I love you too, Max.' she said, returning the hug. 'I'm sorry.'

'Don't be.' Max left the room and Liesl and Maria heard the screen door shut and Max's mini-van start.

'Mother, come on. Let's go look at one of the scrapbooks Brigitta made.' Liesl led her step-mother into her family room, where they spent the rest of the afternoon looking at pictures of the von Trapp children and their sprawlingfarm in Vermont after their escape from Austria.

* * *


	16. Bad News

**Bad news  
**Posted: December 6, 2005

**A/N: **I know ya'll are about ready to give up on me, but several things have been happening...1) senior musical was in the fall this year and all my dreams have come true because 2) my senior musical was 'The Sound of Music' (three cheers for a vocal director, who wanted a Rodgers and Hammerstein! Yea Mrs.D!) and, while I didn't get the Baroness, I did get to be Sister Berthe, which gave me a song...besides, the Baroness isn't as evil in the musical as she is in the movie...Anyways, glad to see that Harry and Ginny got some of their tension out of the way, but Hermione and Ron are gonna have the best first sex ever, what with all they've had building up since they were 11...the fourth movie kicked ass, went to the midnight showing, the sixth book kicked ass, and, again, I've changed my contact address...I'm such a sped, it's like I'm running from the freaking government or something...my new email that you can reach me at is There is a story behind it, if you care, let me know...if not, your lose...Kisses all...  
**Disclaimer: **Performing in the musical has not dulled my luster for the rights to this show...I tried to convince the company that by being the Big B I was deserving, but they didn't agree with me...  
**Review Replies: **I love this part...it makes me feel loved...  
_Straycat1:_ Too bad I got someone else to spoil it for me...I cried when I found out about Dumbledore...damn Snape...what do you think, unbreakable vow or unbreakable evil? Let me know...as to the ending...it wasn't really something I had planned on, but it worked...I thought it worked, seeing as that was the intermission portion of the movie...and yes, Louisa is silly, you should've seen the girl who was cast for her at her school...but I heart her anyways...  
_Shannah: _I actually didn't realize I had done that until you pointed it out...I really just needed a name...what a kwinky-dink...I love that word...anyways, I always thought it a natural part of being a daughter to be embarrassed like that...it hasn't happened so much since I moved in with my mum and I'm not around him as often...but the memories are still there...the 'vulture incoming' line seems to be everyone's favorite...it just seemed like such a Louisa thing to say...  
_SOMBABE45: _Why would that be the end...I said I was taking it up to the very ending of the movie, not the intermission...that was cute though 'so long farewell for that story...' might I borrow that when I do truly finish?  
_Aline Banhara: _Ah, the review I always wait for...I'm glad you got the hint, there just might be some talking of it, I don't know yet...I'm one of those horrible writers who never plan stuff out, like the last name for Max Jr...hehe...why does no one realize that I would have this long, drawn out farewell if I was done? Geez, you all lack confidence in me...silly geese...  
_slam a revolving door:_I got my script from various people,my beta sent me one and Aline Banhara sent me one...if you'd like the whole one, ask them for it, I have a tendency to delete the portion that I'm done with, since the thing can be 157 pages...thanks for reviewing...

* * *

The front screen door slammed shut, as Liesl looked up from her checkbook. 

"Liesl?" a female voice yelled.

"Kitchen!" Liesl looked up as Louisa walked in.

"Coffee?"

"In the pot, but the only clean mugs are in the dishwasher." Liesl looked back down at her book, flipping through bills.

"Why did you have some many dirty mugs?" Louisa asked, sitting down next to Liesl. "Oh, looks like someone has been shopping." She said, picking up one of the bills.

"Because my granddaughters have inherited their great - grandmother's love of tea," Liesl snatched back the bill, annoyed.

"Which great-grandma?" Louisa asked, wearing her signature smirk and taking a sip of her coffee.

"Both. They've picked it up a lot more with Maria staying here." Liesl said, putting her checkbook back in her purse.

"Why have they been here?" Louisa asked as Liesl got her own coffee.

"Amanda's doing a project on family history and the others heard me beginning the story."

"Where are you at?" she asked as the front slammed again.

Amanda rushed in, Kara and Jessica close behind. "Aunt Louisa!" Jessica jumped into Louisa's arms.

"Ofh!" Louisa grunted, picking up Jessica. "I'm an old lady Jess!"

"No, you're not Aunt Louisa!" Kara laughed, hugging her around the waist.

"So, you never told me where you were at in the story." Louisa said, rubbing Kara's head.

"The big party just ended. With the vulture!" Amanda giggled.

"The vulture?" Louisa looked confused for only a moment. "Oh, her! That had to be the ugliest dress at the party!" she laughed.

"Will you stay?" Kara looked up.

"Only if it's alright with Liesl."

"Of course, come on girls." Liesl took Amanda by the hand and led her into the living room.

"Aren't we down one granddaughter today?" Louisa asked, sitting on the couch.

"Shannon had art class." Amanda informed her impatiently. "Come on Grandma! Finish the story!" She begged, turning to Liesl.

"Alright." Liesl laughed. "So, as I said before, the party, in everyone's eyes, had been a success…"

The next morning, instead of Fraulein Maria waking us up, Frau Schmidt did.

"Liesl, dear, come on, wake up." I opened my eyes to see Frau Schmidt standing over me.

"Frau Schmidt? Where's Fraulein?" I slowly opened my eyes, and then quickly shut them when Frau Schmidt opened my curtains to the morning sun.

"She's still sleeping. Your father said to let her sleep. Please go and wake your brothers and sisters." She walked out of the room and ran into Brigitta and Louisa.

"Frau Schmidt! Sorry!" Brigitta said, surprised, as she and Louisa pushed past and jumped on my bed.

"Liesl! Wake up! Come on!"

"Why? What's wrong?" I asked groggily, sitting up in my bed.

"Fraulein Maria is gone!" Louisa said.

"What?" I was instantly awake. "How? Where?"

"We don't know. Only that we went to find her and she wasn't there!" Brigitta insisted.

"She's probably sleeping!" I said, falling back onto my pillow. "Something I would love to be doing." I muttered.

"What?" Louisa asked, sitting in my chair.

"Nothing." I said as my door opened once more and Gretl and Marta peeked in.

"Liesl?" Marta asked timidly.

"Yes Marta?" That, apparently, was the signal to run into my room and jump on me. "Oh!" I gasped as Gretl landed right on my stomach.

"Why didn't Fraulein Maria wake us up this morning?" Gretl asked from my stomach.

"I don't know Gretl. Why don't we…"

"…leave your sister in peace?" Father entered the room, smiling at the collection of his daughters scattered variously around my room. "Let her wake up before you send her into shock!"

Gretl and Marta giggled. "Good morning Father."

Father walked over and picked up Gretl and kissed Marta on the head. "Why don't the two of you go down for breakfast? I hear Frau Schmidt has Danish for breakfast!"

"Danish!" Gretl quickly wriggled out of Father's arms and could b heard chasing after Marta, who had a head start.

"Brigitta, will you go after them to make sure they don't get into too much trouble, please?" Father looked at her pointedly.

"Isn't that Fraulein Maria's job?" Brigitta asked, looking back just as pointedly.

"Brigitta…" Father looked at her warningly.

"Yes sir." She meekly walked out of my room, smiling only after Father pulled her back and handed her a new book.

"I need to talk with the two of you and Friedrich. Get cleaned up and come down to my office in 20 minutes. Understand?" he looked at us sharply.

"Yes sir." We replied.

A smile returned to his face. "Thank you." He started to walk out, but backed back into the room. "By the way girls, I enjoyed the song last night." He smiled at us again and left the room.

"What do you think he needs to talk with us about?" Louisa asked me as I got out of bed.

"Probably about the Baroness." I said, stretching my arms above my head as I walked over to my closet to pull out a dress. "Will you leave please?" I asked her.

"Oh! Yes! I'll go wake up Friedrich. Sorry!" She jumped up and ran out of my room and shut the door.

As I pulled my dress over my head, I thought about what Father would need to tell us. One of the only things that could come to my mind was an engagement…to the Baroness.

I stopped with my arm halfway through the sleeve. How could Father do that? Didn't he see…?

"Liesl!" Louisa yelled through my door. "We have ten minutes!" I hurriedly finished and ran down to meet Friedrich and Louisa outside of Father's office. I nodded to Louisa and Friedrich and knocked on the door.

"Come in," was the mumbled response from inside. I reached out for the doorknob and opened it to find Father sorting through papers. "I have some bad news." He opened with when he looked up.

"Fraulein Maria is gone?" Louisa said in shock ten minutes later as we left Father's office. "It can't be." She ran up to Fraulein's room in a state of shock.

Friedrich and I looked at each other and silently agreed. We wouldn't be the ones to tell our younger siblings.

* * *

**A/N:** Hey, one more thing ya'll...review then go read 'Wicked' by Gegory McGuire and listen to the soundtrack, too, both incredible! 


	17. A new mother?

**A/N: **So, life is good so far...have a date for our winter formal...got a boyfriend...got accepted to all three of the colleges I've put applications in for, with lots of mone coming my way from two...itall seems to be coming together for me. Hope everyone had a good holiday and New Years Eve. I know I did, my birthday was excellent too...so, read on and enjoy!  
**Disclaimer: **My new mission: to BECOME Fraulein Maria...or, even better, get my best friend to do because she was Maria and...no, that won't work, it still won't be mine...  
**Review Replies:  
**_iluvwriting:_ Wow, I haven't heard from you in a while! In chrous, we all love our teacher because she got us a 'Phantom' medley...I wish it had been from 'Wicked,' but my best friend (mentioned above) and I are doing 'What is this feeling?' from the show for a vocal show...it's great, I get to be Galinda! Hehe! And she's actually gonna paint herself green since she's Elphaba...I love my bogen...  
_Aline Banhara: _I hadn't really planned if any of the other children had kids of their own...it was just kind of something that popped into my head, kind of like the Captain embarassing Liesl...and do you mean the other grandchildren or the original children?  
_Sanna Mahara: _Thank you for the advice. I've said before that I'm not very good with dialouge. I actually don't see myself as a very good writer, I have seen much better on here...  
_Shannah: _Ours was incredible...our Fraulein Schwegier was halrious...even though I'm not the biggest fan of the girl who portrayed her...glad that yours turned out well...everyone seems to be doing that show...a neighbooring school district is doing it as well where I'm from...  
_Dana Black: _Ah, you caught me too late, I'm not in a Harry Potter spoiling kind of mood...I got it all out of my system about a week and a half after I read the book...sorry...now, go watch "The Sound of Music!"

* * *

**A New Mother?  
**Posted: January 4, 2006

Later in the afternoon, the seven of us had gathered on the back terrace after lunch. The Baroness had shown an interest in playing a game with us, something which surprised us all. We decided to teach her a simple game involving a ball and numbers. It was quite popular in school and if you left the primary school without learning it, you could only blame yourself.

We started off with Gretl, who would be well off when she started school in the fall.

"One."

"Two."

"Three."

And it went on till Louisa numbered eight.

Uncle Max sat on the patio, watching us, with an evil grin on his face. As usually, Louisa throw it to me first, with all her might.

"Four." She grinned just a tad as we both saw the Baroness flinch.

"Two."

"Seven."

"Five."

"Two."

"Six." The ball flew past her and I giggled to myself, watching her run in her fancy shoes.

"Isn't this fun? Um…four." She threw to Friedrich.

"I'm number five." He glared a tad at her. In most cases this meant you were out and that the numbers would shift. However, we didn't see the need to, it was more fun to see her standing there, flinching.

"Eight."

"Two."

"Four."

"Six." I threw with all my might into her stomach.

"Two." Her aim was off and it sailed past Kurt.

"Baroness Schrader, do you mind if we stop now? We're tired." Kurt made up an excuse.

"Oh, whatever you want, dear. We'll do it again tomorrow." She walked away and we gathered around one of the benches.

"I was afraid she would say that." Louisa grimaced.

"Liesl?" Gretl walked over to me. "Where's Fraulein Maria?"

"I don't know, Gretl, I'm sorry. I only know what Father told us." I hugged her as Brigitta stood up suddenly.

"I'm going to go ask Father."

"Brigitta, wait!" I said, but she was already halfway there. The only thing to do was to follow her.

"Uncle Max, where's Father?" she asked, walking up to him.

"I think he's in the house." He put down his glass and looked at us all. "What's the matter with all you gloomy pusses?"

"Nothing." Brigitta sighed. She wanted answers, but just not from Uncle Max.

"I know what we'll do." He said as his eyes lit up. "Let's have a rehearsal." He put his hands down on the table.

"What for?" Louisa asked.

"Let's make believe we're standing on the stage at the Festival." He stood up and looked at me.

"I don't feel like singing." Marta said shyly.

"Not without Fraulein Maria." Gretl put in. Uncle Max stood up and looked at them.

"Liesl, get the guitar. Come on Marta." I nodded and walked into the house. The guitar sat right by the doorway. From there, I could hear them protesting, but still giving in. I almost had to agree with them. All the songs we really knew came from Fraulein Maria and it hurt too much to sing them.

I walked back over and Uncle Max ordered to give a key. I strummed the guitar and looked back up.

"Now, impress me." He walked over and stood behind the Baroness and crossed his hands, watching us. We sang a few notes, except for Friedrich and Gretl. Uncle Max stopped us. "Friedrich, Gretl, why don't you sing?"

"I can't. I've got a sore finger." How that affected her singing, only she would know. But she did have an excuse.

"But, you sang so beautifully the night of the party." He walked over and knelt down to kiss Gretl's bandaged finger. "Come on, all of you, sing something, try something you know. Enjoy it. Be cheerful. All right, Liesl." I strummed the first thing that came into my head: the Sound of Music. It was the first full song that Fraulein had taught us and really the only song I could play well on the guitar at this time. Fraulein had promised to teach me more.

The hills are alive

With the sound of music.

As we started singing, Uncle Max walked behind the Baroness. Out of the corner of my eye, as I focused on the guitar strings, I could see Father walk out. Immediately, I regretted my decision to play this song: it would hurt Father more than us.

With songs they have sung

For a thousand years.

I saw Brigitta choke up and walk over to the railing beside me. As we kept singing, Kurt turned away, followed by Louisa and Gretl. Father started walking over.

When Uncle Max saw him, he started over to Father. "They, uh, just wanted to sing for me. Bless their hearts."

Father turned to us. "That's lovely, lovely, don't stop." He walked over to behind the Baroness, whistling the tune. The Baroness held out her hand and Father took hold of it.

"Uh, something long and cool, Georg?"

"No thank you, darling," He sat down beside her.

Brigitta looked over at me, a questioning look on her face. I shrugged my shoulders, leaving the decision up to her. "Father?"

"Yes, Brigitta?" he looked up at her.

"Is it true Fraulein Maria isn't coming back?"

"Fraulein Mara?" He almost seemed confused, like he had forgotten about her already. "Yes, I suppose it's true, yes. What have we got here?" He changed the subject abruptly.

"Pink lemonade." She went to take a sip.

"Laced with, uh, lemonade." Uncle Max grimaced.

"I don't believe it Father!" I looked over at her. Now was not the time for her to speak her mind, but with Gretl between us, I couldn't nudge her.

"Hm? Don't believe what, darling?" His confused expression returned. I knew that he was purposely forgetting her.

"About Fraulein Maria."

"Oh, Fraulein Maria. Didn't I tell you what her note said?" We shook our heads. "Oh, I'm sure I did. She said she missed her life at the Abbey too much. She had to leave us. And that's all there is to it." The subject, I knew, was closed. I just hoped the rest of my siblings realized it as well. "I think I'm brave enough to try some of that." The Baroness went to pour him a glass.

"She didn't even say goodbye." Louisa said. This time I did get to nudge someone.

"She did in her note." He was closing the subject repeatedly.

"That isn't the same thing." I nudged her harder this time and added a glare.

"Not too sweet, not too sour." The Baroness said, handing Father a glass.

"Just too, um, pink." Uncle Max tried to lighten the mood.

"Father?" Gretl asked, just as Father took a sip. "Who is our new governess going to be?" The look he sent the Baroness confirmed my fears from earlier this morning.

He put his glass down and stood up. "Well, you're not going to have a governess anymore."

"We're not?" Louisa grabbed hold of my arm quickly and I shook her off.

"No." He stood up behind the Baroness and squeezed her shoulders. "You're going to have a new mother."

My heart broke. "A new mother?" I desperately wanted to add on more. Like how he had promised me that no one would replace Mother. And how he wasn't looking for that. And how the Baroness shouldn't be our new mother, she didn't even love us. And how Fraulein loved us and him and he loved her!

By now, he was looking at me pointedly and I knew I had to set the example again. I walked over and kissed her on the cheek. I walked back over to where I had been standing and waited for my siblings. Kurt was the last one and he went to kiss her, but couldn't bring himself to do it. He tired again, but Father got annoyed and shoved him along and I took Gretl's shoulders and led them to where we had been sitting.

"What are we going to do about this?" Louisa asked, sitting on the bench, her arms crossed, a look of inspiration on her face.

"Nothing." Friedrich said.

"Nothing?" Brigitta asked him, looking at him in confusion. "She won't keep us here. She'll send us to boarding school. Liesl, talk to Friedrich."

"No, he's right." I said, standing next to Friedrich, looking up, holding the guitar like I was about to play it. "He is your older brother. You need to listen to him as much as me. There's nothing we can do. And don't even try the toads or spiders, Louisa." I said, cutting her off. "Father has chosen her. She isn't like a new governess who can leave and be replaced. Father chose her for a reason." I sighed and sat next to Louisa and started strumming "Do-Re-Mi." Marta and Gretl started humming along. Fairly soon, we were all singing softly.

"I say there's still something we can do!" Louisa jumped up off the bench and started pacing.

"Louisa, sit down." Friedrich said tiredly. "There's nothing we can do."

"Yes, there is!" she insisted. "Father is in love with Fraulein Maria. We can bring her back!"

Brigitta got the same idea in her head as well. I hate it when the two of them gang up together. "Yes! We can bring Fraulein Maria back and Father can see how much he loves her, not the Baroness!"

"Oh, yes! And I can show her my finger!" Gretl said, excitedly.

Friedrich and I looked at each other, exasperated. They were anxious to go and who were we to deny them the chance.

"Fine. But if it fails, you have no one to blame but Brigitta and Louisa." I started to walk up to the house, pulling Louisa along with me. "You get to deal with an inconsolably Gretl and Marta when this doesn't work." I let go of her arm and went into the house to put the guitar away.

* * *

**A/N: **Now, review, enjoy, and go do some productive...like I should be doing... 


	18. A Walk Through the City

**A/N:** I think it's funny how much life has changed since I last posted...dumped the guy I took to formal, went to senior prom with one of my best friends, graduated, and finally choose a college to go to (I'll be a Griffen, in maroon and gold, like Ron Weasley, my hero!) Hope everyone's summer is going well. I'm sorry it's taken so long to get this chapter done. Senior year got in the way, as did moving...AGAIN...I'm like a bird, I have no set home...anyways, now that summer is here, I hope to get these chapters out a bit faster, at least so that it's close to being done by fall. That way college won't get in the way. So, enjoy...  
**Disclaimer:**I've pretty much given up on claiming this for my own...it's a sad, sad world when you get stuck in jail for trying to claim something as your own... ;-D  
**Review Replies:**  
_Shannah: _Your perkiness reminds me of a girl I go...sorry, went ('cuz I graduated!) to school with. In a good way...I miss my twin...sorry...  
_Aline Banhara: _I might show the other children, if that is what the public so wishes...oh, I have an idea now...but no one's gonna like it...MUHAHAHAHAHA!  
_OperaGustus: _Awesome, a new reviewer...I love it when new people review...makes me feel like I still got it (does a little dance...ow!...pulled out back ;-D ) Actually, our choir teacher is Mrs. D, but, hey, G, D, what's the difference. Yea, I hope you got the harmonies right in your part...I didn't...cuz I suck at singing...kinda...

* * *

**A walk through the city  
**Posted: June 11, 2006

As we walked over to Nonnenburg Abbey, Louisa suggested we play 'I spy…' to distract Marta and Gretl from jumping up and down.

"I spy with my little eye…" Brigitta looked around for something and grinned. "…something red."

We all stopped so that we wouldn't miss it. "A wall?" Friedrich asked.

"No." Brigitta giggled. Louisa's eyes widened. "A book?"

"No, one more…oh, it flew away, never mind. It was a cardinal."

"Spring is coming then!" Marta jumped up and down.

"Liesl, do you know where we're going?" Friedrich whispered to me.

I looked around a bit. I could recognize certain things from trips into town, but not much. "I think. Keep them occupied, I'm going to ask that vendor where the Abbey is." He nodded.

"Liesl, can we rest a bit, my legs are sore." Gretl asked me. Thank goodness for little miracles.

"Of course, let's go sit on that bench." Bad choice.

"Oh, pretzels!" Marta said. She and Gretl immediately began clamoring for one.

"I'm sorry, I don't have any money." I apologized. "Stay here, though, I'll be right back."

I walked over to the vendor, who had a scowl on his face. "I don't give to charities."

I instantly put my guard up. "Thank you, sir, for making that known, but I am not here for charity. We are on our way to the Nonnenburg Abbey and I was wondering how far until we are there."

His scowl softened a little, but not by much. "Two blocks. That way." He pointed down a side street to my left.

I nodded and walked away without saying anything. "Miss." He called out. I turned around, but didn't walk back. "I'm sure I could spare two pretzels for the small ladies." He said loud enough for Marta and Gretl to hear. They instantaneously perked up and looked at me with puppy eyes. I looked back at the vendor and smiled slightly.

"Thank you sir." Marta and Gretl ran over and accepted the pretzels greedily. "What do you say?"

"Thank you very much sir!" Gretl said, with her mouth full. Marta at least waited until she was done chewing before she thanked the man.

"Let's go on, we're not that much farther." I motioned for the rest of my siblings to get up and walk with us.

"Now, best behavior when we get there, alright? Let me talk." I looked at each and every one of them, glancing specially at Friedrich, Louisa, and Brigitta. They all nodded solemnly. We walked up to the front gate and I looked around for something to call to their attention. I saw a rope out front and walked over to pull it. A rather plump nun came over to the gate.

"Yes, my children?"

"Uh, my name is Liesl."

Yes, Liesl."

"We – my brothers and sisters – we want to see Fraulein Maria."

"Fraulein Maria?" She looked confused for a moment. She looked over us and realized just how many of us there were. "Oh, Maria!" She opened the gate for us and let us in, smiling. "Come in please."

We walked in and stood at the entrance, where she told us to wait. She walked over to two other nuns, one of which who approached us.

"I'm Sister Margaretta. I understand you've been inquiring about Maria."

Friedrich jumped in. I rolled my eyes. "We have to see her. Will you tell her we're here, please?"

"I'm afraid I can't do that." I was worried something like this would happen. I tried to run through all the reasons why we couldn't.

"Oh, but you've got to. We have to speak with her!" Louisa said.

"She's our governess!" Marta explained.

"We want her back!" Gretl chimed in.

"She didn't even say goodbye!" I think this fact hurt Kurt worst of all. He wasn't home when Mother died; he was staying with our Grandmother Elizabeth in the country for a week, like we always do. Father and Mother didn't want our lives interrupted. They didn't think she was that sick. Her death came very suddenly.

"It's very important." Gretl added, trying to make a difference.

"All we want to do is talk to her." I said, trying to keep my emotions under control. We all needed her back, myself most of all. Father was ruining all our lives, even his own, and we needed Fraulein Maria to fix it.

"I'm very sorry, children, but Maria is in seclusion. She hasn't been seeing anyone." Sister Margaretta explained.

"She'll see us. I know she will." Not if she's in seclusion, Friedrich, I thought to myself.

"I want to show her my finger!" Gretl held up her hurt finger. It wasn't really hurt. She complained about it to get attention that she thought she wasn't. It was her way of mourning the loss of Fraulein.

"Oh, some other time, dear." She smiled, pacifying Gretl. I'd done so many times this week; I knew exactly what it was like. "I'll tell her that you were here. It was sweet of you to call. Run along home now. Go on." She gently showed us to the gate, pushing us back.

"Oh, please, let us see her, please!" We all begged as she shut the gate on us. "Please!" Brigitta tried one last time, but she was already walking away.

We walked slowly over to the bench across from the abbey and sat down.

"Liesl, why won't they let us see her?" Marta asked.

"You heard her, Marta." Friedrich snapped. "She's in seclusion."

"Liesl?" Gretl looked at me, with tears in her eyes, as did Marta.

"Oh, Gretl, come here." I took her in my arms and held her as silent tears rolled down her cheek and got my blouse wet.

"I'm sorry, Marta" Friedrich apologized and held Marta for a while. Louisa walked around in front of us, kicking at stones. Kurt and Brigitta just leaned against the wall, moping.

"Let's go home." I said. "Father will be wondering what happened to us." I gently picked up Gretl and started to walk back the way we came.

On the way, we passed the pretzel vendor, who smiled at us broadly. I gave him a small smile over Gretl's shoulder and his smile dropped as well. He reached into his cart for another pretzel and held it out. I smiled again, but shook my head. We didn't need pretzels at a time like this. We needed a mother.

* * *

**A/N:** Please review...it will make me right faster! 


	19. Strawberries get cold?

**A/N: **Wow, I have never in my life, written two chapters so close together. So, nothing has changed except I got a speeding ticket...yea, my first one...oh well. Enjoy!  
**Disclaimer:** So the people at 21st Century felt so sorry for me that they gave me the rights...and it's still didn't get me out of paying my ticket...  
**Review Replies: **  
_iluvwriting:_ I miss your reviews! I got the pretzel vendor idea from imnotacommittee, who isfabulous writer. Check the stories out. Crazy good.  
_Aline Banhara: _Muhaha, my idea was to . Isn't that great:-D  
_Shannah:_ Wow...so, yea, enjoy high school, it may not be the best time of your life like everyone says it is, but it's a great way to keep out of trouble...most of the time...it's so cool that now I can give advice out like that!  
_Edelwyn: _Thank you for the compliments...

* * *

**Strawberries get cold?  
**Posted: June 18, 2006

"Liesl, we won't get into trouble with Father, will we?" Brigitta asked. Marta and Gretl looked at me worried as we walked through the trees behind the villa.

"Of course not." I took Gretl and Marta by the hand. "Why would we? We just went out for a walk."

"Yes, but we were gone an awful long time." Marta said, still a bit scared.

"Well, we'll just tell Father the truth." Louisa said boldly.

"What if he doesn't like the truth?" Kurt asked as we came upon the patio.

"We'll make something up." Friedrich said.

"There you are!" Father walked down the steps from the house towards us. "Dinner was supposed to start ten minutes ago."

"Really?" Friedrich said. "We hadn't noticed the time; we were having so much fun out in the trees."

"Really?" He looked at us all. "What were you doing?"

"Reading a book." Brigitta said as Kurt said "Playing." Friedrich also said "Berry picking."

I looked between them. "We were acting out a book, Father. Friedrich and Louisa took Marta berry picking." I smiled. "Like we used to do with Fraulein Maria."

His smile faltered. "What book? I see no book." He started to walk around us with his hands behind his back. "Now, it's not like my children to secretive."

"We're not being secretive, Father." Louisa insisted.

"And it's not like my children to be late for dinner." He continued.

"We lost track of the time." Friedrich said, looking at us for agreement. We all nodded our heads.

"Ah, I see." His smile dropped. "Alright, now who's going to be the first one to tell me the truth?" He said quickly. "Friedrich? Brigitta? Liesl?" He looked at me, testing me.

I can play this game. I thought to myself. "Where do you think we were, Father?"

"Hm? Now…" His face changed and we stared at each other for a few seconds.

"Well, if you don't believe us, you must have some idea of where we were." He didn't answer, just stood there staring off into space until Marta giggled.

"Aha, Marta!" He pointed at her. Friedrich and Kurt turned their heads quickly and glared at her.

"Yes Father." She kept smiling.

"You tell me." He walked over to her and got down on her level.

"Friedrich told you Father." She paused, trying to remember what he said. "We were berry picking."

Father stood up and clapped his hands. "I forgot, you were berry picking!"

"Yes, yes!" We didn't think he'd buy it.

"All afternoon?" He asked, impressed.

"Mmhm." We all nodded our heads in agreement, silently agreeing on the story.

"We picked thousands of them." Louisa exaggerated as Father knelt in front of Gretl.

"Thousands?" He asked, still smiling. Something was wrong.

"I got the most." I could hear Kurt say, but I was paying to much attention to Father's eyes.

"What kind of berries?" he asked, still playing along.

I opened my mouth to say strawberries, since I had seen some wild plants on the way home, but Friedrich beat me. "Uh, blueberries, sir."

"Blueberries!" We all nodded, but I was wary. "It's, um, too early for blueberries."

I raised my eyebrows at Friedrich to tell him he could cover his mistake. "They were strawberries." Oh no.

"Strawberries?" Father asked.

"It's been so cold lately, they turned blue." Friedrich winced as the words left his mouth. I rolled my eyes, while Brigitta and Louisa just stared at him with disgust.

"Aw. Well," Father stood up and held out his hand. "Show me the berries." Silence ensued. "Well, show me the berries you picked. Come on." He looked at Kurt.

"Well, we don't have them anymore."

"You don't have them anymore, well, what happened to them?" Father asked patronizingly.

"We…we…we…" We all stuttered.

"We ate them!" Brigitta said, smiling.

"You ate them?" Father smiled.

"Oh, yes. All of them." We said, smiling, happy to have a cover story. "They were so juicy." I said, holding my stomach.

"Very well." He rubbed his hands together. "Since you've obviously stuffed yourselves full of thousands of delicious berries," We all smiled and nodded our heads again. "You can't be hungry anymore. So I'll just have to simply tell Frau Schmidt to, uh, skip your dinner."

Our smiles fell as he walked away. He turned around and smirked at us at his walked into the house. He knew we were lying, but this was his way of punishing us.

Kurt was the first person to blame someone.

"It's all your fault!" He angrily told Friedrich. "You should've told him the truth."

"And made him boiling mad at us?" Friedrich defended himself.

"It's better than starving to death." Kurt exaggerated. I rolled my eyes at him.

"We didn't do anything wrong. We just wanted to see her." Louisa justified as we all walked over to the benches.

"My stomach's making noises." Kurt complained as he sat down. It always makes noises I wanted to tell him.

"The least they could've done was to let us say hello." Marta said, as Gretl looked off into the trees.

Kurt complained again as though he hadn't heard any of us. "I wonder what grass tastes like…."

"I feel awful." Gretl sighed.

"When Fraulein Maria wanted to feel better, she used to sing that song. Remember?" Brigitta said, looking at Gretl.

"Yes." I said.

"Let's try it." She nodded her head.

"Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens"

Brigitta and I sang. Then Louisa joined.

Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens."

It sounded more like a funeral dirge then a song to make us feel better.

"Brown paper packages tied up with strings

These are a few of my favorite things."

"Why don't I feel better?" Gretl sighed and I held out my hand for her to come to me. She came over and I started to stroke her hair, like Mother did when I felt bad, as we kept singing.

"Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes.

Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes."

Were we dreaming? It sounded like Fraulein Maria's voice, but…we all turned widely around as she continued to sing. It was her! "Fraulein Maria!" We all yelled and ran towards her.

"When the dog bites

When the bee stings

When I'm feeling sad

I simply remember my favorite things

And then I don't feel so bad."

She hugged us all as we finished singing the song. "Oh, children, I'm so glad to see you!" Fraulein said as we walked back to the villa.

"We missed you!" Marta stated.

"Oh, I missed you, too. Kurt, how are you?" She hugged Marta again.

"Hungry." He stated plainly. We all laughed. It was funnier then it was five minutes ago.

Gretl held up her finger. "Gretl, what happened to your finger?"

"It got caught."

"Caught in what?"

"Friedrich's teeth." She explained, exasperated. We all laughed.

"Liesl, you all right?" She asked, getting up and walking us back over to the patio.

"Just fair." I shrugged.

"Many telegrams been delivered here lately?" Louisa suddenly looked curiously serious, but I decided to drop the subject till later.

"None at all Fraulein, but I'm learning to accept it. I'll be glad when school begins again."

"Oh, Liesl." She stopped walking. "You can't use school to escape your problems. You have to face them." She emphasized the word 'face.' "Oh, I have so much to tell you." My face perked up right away.

"We have things to tell you, too." Louisa said. No, not now, I thought, silently cursing her.

"I'm sure you do." Fraulein smiled.

"The most important thing is that Father is going to married." Brigitta said. She always was the bearer of bad news.

Fraulein's face fell quickly. "Married?"

"Yes, to Baroness Schraeder." I present to you the twins of bad news.

"Oh, I see…" She fell silently and there was a moment when we all just looked at her, till Friedrich noticed Father on the steps.

"Oh, Father!" We all turned around and started to yell. "Fraulein Maria is back! She came back. She's back from the Abbey!"

"Good evening, Captain." She said, without keeping too much eye contact with Father.

"Good evening. All right, everyone inside. Go and eat your dinner."

"Dinner!" Kurt yelled and we all ran inside.

We all hurried into the dining room and sat down at our places. While the rest of them went to pick up their forks, I cleared my throat loudly. All forks were quickly placed down. "For what we are about to receive…" I started.

"…may the Lord make us truly thankful." And Gretl finished.

"Amen." We all said, then dug in.

"Well, it's good to see that you learned something from me." Fraulein Maria walked into the room and kissed each of us on the head, before going to her original seat. Before she sat down, she checked her seat. "Good to see that nature hasn't left me any little presents."

We all laughed as she went to sit down. It was Friedrich who first kicked me and looked pointedly at Fraulein then looked outside where Father and the Baroness were sitting on the patio. My mind clicked to what he was mentioning to and I realized that the Baroness had begun to sit there when Fraulein left.

"Well, since I already ate at the Abbey, I believe I will go unpack my bags. Friedrich, Louisa, did you leave them in the hall?"

"Yes'm." They said, in between bites.

"Alright, thank you." She stood up. "I assume bedtime is still the usual time, so I'll be over to tuck you all in."

"There's no need for that Fraulein." Father said, as he walked in.

"Father!" Gretl and Marta whined. Father looked at them.

Fraulein laughed gently. "Truly Captain, it's not a problem. I've missed doing it, to be honest."

"Very well then Fraulein. We can both tuck them in tonight." Father smiled at Fraulein, as the Baroness passed. She stopped suddenly and looked between them, with a look on her face.

The seven of us didn't notice. We only noticed Father smiling at Fraulein's retreating form. Like he used to with Mother.

* * *

**A/N:** I told you reviewing would make me write faster...


	20. A lonely night

**A/N:** Didn't get this chapter checked out by my beta...sorry yall! Been working on some other stuff, mainly Harry Potter stuff. Let me know if any of yall are into Harry Potter and would like to beta if for me...even if you want to look over this one too...a second beta is always handy...  
**Disclaimer:** Yep, not mine...oh well, I'll deal...  
**Review replies:  
**_I luv Julie Andrews: _It doesn't take long to read it all, but thanks for that!  
_iluvwriting: _Ah, everyone has finals they don't like...I didn't really have to take many finals, that'll change come December, oh well...  
_jumanji: _Thanks for the comment!  
_Edelwyn: _Seeing as their romance hasn't really started and been announced until this upcoming chapter, there will definitly be more of her thoughts, but for now, there's more pressing issues on Liesl's mind...  
_avdp: _What do you mean, by them? Which them? Seeing as the story's from Liesl's POV, it'd be hard, but I'll try to put some Maria-Captain moments in...  
_Shannah: _See, I enjoyed the school part more than other parts, but oh, well...  
_Aline Banhara: _Hehe, I am a redhead, so I keep my secrets hidden within my pretty little head...sorry...

* * *

The next morning, Fraulein Maria was at breakfast when we all ran down, as well as Father.

"Good morning, Father." We said and kissed him on the cheek as we walked in. "Good morning Fraulein."

"Good morning, children." Fraulein Maria smiled at us. "Your father has a surprise for you." She looked at him shyly.

Father took a bite of waffle, chewed, swallowed, took a sip of coffee and slowly dabbed at his mouth with his napkin before answer. "Thank you, Fraulein. Yes." He stood up and walked out of the room.

"Where's Father going, Fraulein?" Marta turned toward Fraulein, looking confused. Fraulein just smiled at us and took a bite of strawberries.

"Had any good strawberries recently Friedrich?" Fraulein said with a serious face. Friedrich just glared at the rest of us. "Don't blame them, blame your father." She nodded at him as he walked back in the door with packages in his hand.

"Thank you Fraulein, for turning them against me so early in the morning." He smiled at her as he handed the packages out. As we looked at each other curiously, we didn't notice the blush that spread over Fraulein's face.

"Father?" Louisa asked, turning the package over.

"Since you're so interested, you open yours first, Lou." He smiled as he sat back down at his chair. Louisa perked up immediately. She never gets to open her gifts first. Marta and Gretl looked a little downtrodden when Father proclaimed this.

"Oh, Father!" Louisa quickly got out of her chair and ran to hug Father. In her package was the sundress that Fraulein Maria had made us.

"Well, open them." Father smiled, with his arm around Louisa's waist as she stood with her arm around his shoulders. "Today, we, including Fraulein Maria," she looked up suddenly, "will be taking a trip up to the mountains."

"All of us?" Kurt asked, looking up from his lederhosen. "Friedrich, these are yours." He and Friedrich switched lederhosen and Kurt turned his full attention to Father's plans for the day, satisfied that his clothes were his own.

"Yes, all of us. We plan on packing a basket for lunch. Liesl, Louisa, you will help Fraulein Maria with that, if Fraulein doesn't mind the help." Fraulein Maria shook her head slightly. "Then Friedrich and Kurt, you will go collect some balls from outside. And Brigitta, Marta, and Gretl can help me plan what to do in town before we go up." Father took a bite of his waffles again and looked up at us, surprised that we were all staring at him. "Well, why are you so shocked? Finish your breakfast so we can leave!"

We broke out into gusto of conversation, broken only by the sounds of chewing or laughter. Ten minutes after Father announced the plans for the day, Uncle Max walked into the room and stood in the doorway before Brigitta noticed him.

"Uncle Max! You're never up this early!" She smiled at him and took a bite of waffles.

"Yes, well, there was some noisy little squirrels outside it seemed. I do believe there were about seven of them." He said, kissing the top of Gretl's head as he passed her to seat by Fraulein Maria. We all giggled.

"So sorry Max. Is Elsa up yet?" Father asked, not looking sorry at all.

"I do believe I heard some slight stirring in her room as I passed. She might be down in a few minutes." Max said, paying more attention to his waffles then to Father.

"Father, Liesl and I are finished; may we go start on the baskets?" Louisa said suddenly, laying her fork down as I took a bite of my third waffle.

Father looked at both of us, mainly me, with my mouth full of waffles. I watched as Father and Louisa exchanged a silent battle of wills. "Very well, but only if Fraulein Maria is…"

"Good morning, Georg, darling. Max, how are you? Children." The Baroness entered the room in her usual 'look at me, I'm rich' entrance. She didn't acknowledge Fraulein.

"Children, come, let's go finish getting ready. Bring your clothes. Excuse us, Captain, Max, Baroness." Fraulein stood up quickly and walked out of the room, nodding to the rest of the adults as she passed them. The seven of us quickly gathered our things, kissed Uncle Max and Father, and left the room.

"Fraulein Maria, may we go change first?" Gretl asked, pulling her hand.

"I think that would be very wise." Fraulein said, kneeling down to Gretl. "Why don't you all go change and then go do what your Father assigned. I'll meet you girls in the kitchen, alright?"

We nodded as we ran with the rest of our siblings up to our rooms. I believe that Louisa and I were the only ones who noticed the anxious look on Fraulein Maria's face.

After going through Salzburg, we took Father up to the mountain where Fraulein Maria taught us to sing. We took the same train up and waved to the conductor, who remembered us. We had a picnic lunch, and then played freeze tag, though it was more freeze than tag when Father was 'it'. Once we had finished lunch, we hiked back down the mountain and into town, just in time for dinner with the Baroness and Uncle Max.

Later that night, I sat on the window ledge by my open window with a book in my lap. I could see Fraulein Maria walking around on the patio. She was upset and I could understand why. We had been the 'perfect family' today. A few merchants actually called her Frau and every time they did, I could see her grimace. Then we had to come home to where she was just the governess. I could hear voices softly speaking on the balcony near my window and then footsteps walking away. Five minutes later, I saw Father's figure walking quickly towards where Fraulein had walked. I stood up to see if I could see better when Louisa stuck her head in.

"Liesl?" she walked in. "What are you doing?"

"Father and Fraulein are out in the yard together and I'm trying to see better. What did you need?" I said, not turning around to face her, but craning my neck more.

"I need to talk to you about something." Her voice sounded tentative, something unusual for her character. I turned around and saw her sitting on my bed.

"What's wrong?" I asked, concerned.

"Well, nothing, I think. But there could be something wrong, but I'm not sure because I can't confirm it and…" Louisa kept playing with the hem of her nightdress, refusing to look up at me.

"Louisa, you're rambling." I said, sitting down in my armchair.

"I think…" she mumbled the last part of the sentence.

"What'd you say, I couldn't hear you." I got up and walked over to the bed.

"I think Rolf is a…" she mumbled again.

"A what?" I asked, confused. She didn't say what I think she did, did she?

"A Nazi." She did.

I stood up and looked at her for a moment, confused.

"What?"

"I think that Rolf is a Nazi." She said, her voice stronger now.

"You can't just throw an accusation like that out, Louisa! He could get into serious trouble if you started telling people that!" I yelled.

"I haven't!" She stood up, angry. "I've only told you. I don't understand why you're so upset that I told you. I'm trying to look out for you."

"You're not my mother, Louisa! You're not even older than me!" I said, pacing the floor. "You don't need to look out for me. I'm not the one who breaks my ankle twice a year!"

"We planned those together! But don't change the subject Liesl. You're _precious_ Rolf is a Nazi!" She said, staring me straight in the eye.

"Get out of my room. And until you can stay out of my business, don't talk to me." I walked over to my room and opened the door to find Brigitta, Friedrich, and Kurt standing there, eyes wide open.

"Is Rolf really a Nazi?" Kurt asked.

My eyes blazed up and the three of them backed away. "All of you get to bed! I don't want to talk with anyone else tonight. If anyone comes up here, I'm asleep and not to be disturbed. Understood?" I said in a deathly silent tone. They all nodded and ran to their own rooms.

I slammed my door and started to pace the floor. Louisa was wrong, I knew she was. There was no way that Rolf could be a Nazi. He was an Austrian, same as myself and Father.

"But there are some people who think we ought to be German…" a voice rang in my head.

But he kissed me!

The little scrap of red falling out his pocket when we met him in town.

But he kissed me!

After a half hour of pacing my floor, I finally crawled into bed, where dreams of Rolf, sometimes a Nazi and sometimes not, kept replaying over in my head.

* * *

**A/N: **So, if you enjoyed, review...if you didn't, review! But review! 


	21. A Part of the Family

**A/N:** Not much to report here. School is SWELL!! Happy Birthday to my suitemate, Alex, she's swell. It took a while for my beta to get this one back, so that's why it's taken so long. I apologize for that. The next chapter is written and returned already, but I'm going to wait a while to post that one unless there are serious objections to that.  
**Disclaimer: **Yea, so not mine, but it's okay, I've given up on my dreams to have "The Sound of Music" as my own. I'm not saying to give up on your dreams folks, but this one is kind of impossible. I still hold dreams of winning a Tony...  
**Review Replies: **  
_iluvwriting:_ You'll have to actually email me from your address because FanFiction has a privacy thing for email addresses. If you don't mind, I actually need to have my few and far between Harry Potter ones looked at. I'm glad that you're enjoying the story.  
_Shannah:_ Aw, that's cute about your little sister. Mine will probably do that once she learns enough English, when I'm at my dad's. I always saw Louisa as an observant one. Brigitta is too, but she'd be too young to really know the repercussions of it, like Louisa would, I always felt.  
_Aline Banhara:_ Of course it's getting intersting...the plot is thicken does an evil laugh  
_Buzzer:_ I'm glad you enjoyed the story...please, keep reading and reviewing!

* * *

**A Part of the Family  
**Posted: October 23, 2006

The next morning, I woke up in a terrible mood. Thankfully, no one else had woken up yet, so I went down the hall quietly to use the bathroom. When I finished, I went back to my room and sat on the same window seat I had last night.

I don't know how long I was there before someone knocked on my door.

"Please go away." I said, looking towards the door.

"Your father sent me up." Frau Schmidt said, opening the door. "He knows you're upset, but he has something to tell everyone and he'd like it very much if you would come down." She went to walk away. "Mind you, the Baroness left this morning." She smiled at me, then shut the door. I smiled at her retreating form and sat for five more minutes before finally getting up.

On my way down, I met Fraulein Maria. "I was just on my way down." I told her.

"It's alright. You've missed breakfast, but I'm sure Frau Schmidt wouldn't mind making you something quickly." She said, wrapping her arm around my shoulder.

"I'm really not hungry Fraulein. Truly." I insisted when she gazed at me fiercely.

"Alright. How are you feeling this morning?" she squeezed my shoulder as we walked down the steps. "You're usually down with Marta and Gretl. We missed you at breakfast."

I felt around in my mind for an excuse. "I was up late reading. Good morning, Father." I said, pulling away from Fraulein, averting the questions I knew would come. As I stood up from kissing Father, I saw Uncle Max. "Uncle Max!" I kissed him as well. "You're never up this early!" I took my seat next to Kurt.

"Well, now that we're _all_ here…" Father started, but Brigitta interrupted him.

"What about the Baroness, Father? She's not here."

"Yes, Father, where is the Baroness Schrader?" Kurt asked.

"The Baroness went back to Vienna early this morning." Father explained. "She felt there was no more reason for her to stay."

"But, what about the wedding, Father?" Louisa asked.

"It's been called off, Louisa." Father answered shortly, taking a sip of coffee.

"Is Fraulein Maria going to be our governess again?" Marta asked.

"No, she's not." Father answered. "She's going…"

Before he could get more out, what could best be described as an explosion of noise happened. Gretl climbed into Fraulein's lap, while Marta ran over to pull on Father's shoulder and protest, while Kurt, Brigitta, Louisa, and Friedrich complained loudly. "Father!" "You promised us Fraulein wouldn't leave again!" "She can't leave again!"

"That's enough!" Father raised his voice above the noise, truly the first time he had done it since he stopped being distant. Marta went back to her seat, but Gretl stayed in Fraulein's lap, sobbing quietly.

"Gretl, what's wrong darling?" Fraulein asked her.

"I don't want – hiccup – you to leave – hiccup – again!" She sobbed.

"Oh." Fraulein kissed her on the head and hugged her close. "Darling, do tell them. They're getting horribly distraught." Fraulein said softly.

"Yes, Maria."

Darling? Maria? They never called each other by those names.

"Fraulein Maria will not be your governess anymore because there will be no more governesses. There will be, however, a new mother."

"Another one!?" Kurt asked, astonished. "Ow! Louisa! Don't kick me!"

Father glared at Louisa, then looked away. "Children, I have a question for you. Would any of you mind terribly if I decided to intergrate Maria into the family?"

We all smiled except for Marta and Gretl, who looked confused.

"It means to make something, or in this case, someone, a part of something else." Fraulein explained. "He wants to know if I might become a part of your family."

"Really Father? You want to marry Fraulein Maria?" Marta ran over to Father and climbed into his lap.

"Very much Marta. I want to marry Maria, very much."

"Does she want to marry you?" She asked.

"Ask her." Father nodded towards Fraulein Maria and Gretl.

"I do, Marta. I love your father very much." Fraulein answered her unspoken question. Fraulein smiled at us, then kissed Gretl's forehead.

"Gretl, what's wrong?" I asked her, noticing her scrunched up forehead.

"Gretl?" Fraulein looked at her.

"Will you be leaving us?" Gretl asked, concerned.

"No, Gretl, she's staying here with us. She's a part of our family now." Father said. Her face was still scrunched up. "Is there something else wrong, Gretl?" Father asked, taking another sip of coffee.

"But she was always a part of our family." Gretl insisted.

We all smiled at her, while Father took Marta off his lap, walked over to her and hugged her. "You're very right, Gretl. Maria was always a part of our family."

* * *

**A/N: **Sometimes I make myself want to gag...leave me a review to agree or disagree:-) 


	22. Preperations

**A/N:** Still not much to report here, school is still swell. Two more days and I get to go home for Turkeyday Break and then drive my beautiful Sushi back up. Sushi is my car, I have a Suzuki, and when we got it, my brother and I called it the Sushi car. Anyways...credit goes to the American Girls Company in this one, specificly Felicity's Christmas because that's where I got the idea for using the dolls to model the dresses. I always thought that was kind of cool, so I included it. And kudos goes out to anyone who can forsee things happening to my nice little Jewish couple, even though it's not a happy thing :-(  
**Disclaimer:** Nope, not mine, still, but the paper I still have to finish on women in the media is...grumble, grumble, grumble...  
**Review Replies (you would think after 22 chapters, it wouldn't take me five tries to spell it right anymore):  
**_SueOrder66: _Well, I figured that the reason that Maria was out walking was because all the children were in bed, or at least, ready to get into bed when they finally gave up on reading (cough cough, Brigitta, cough cough). And then, Georg and Maria would've told the children the next day. It really does make sense.  
_murieann: _I always love to see what crazy names my readers have...Yay for happy dances!! Sometimes, you just need to do a happy dance!!!  
_I luv Julie Andrews:_ Glad you're enjoying it so far! Please, keep reading!  
_Shannah:_ Maybe that's why my little sister is cute...this is true, age does make a difference...both with little sisters and Brigitta...though she does fall into both catagories, since she is a little sister and Brigitta...herself...wow...I need to get to bed...  
_iluvwriting:_ Objections settled now? Sorry for the delay, theatre duty calls as does 8 to 10 page research papers...though I did put that off long enough...  
_Aline Banhara:_ I'm not sure how I'm going to do the wedding...it just might be Liesl kind of daydreaming her way through it...who knows...anyways...isn't your name a cartoon company? I'm not sure, my brains a little fuzzy right now...  
_gretehne:_ Didn't your mother ever tell you not to count your chickens before they hatch? You might never know if one of my next chapters is your favorite and then what would you be? A liar...hmm...think about that one... :-D

* * *

**Preperations**  
Posted: November 20, 2006

We were a family, officially. Well, almost officially. Father went out that afternoon with Uncle Max to pick out a ring. Fraulein Maria had the seven of us out on the patio, working on different projects. Friedrich and Kurt were working on translating French war stories, while Brigitta and Louisa helped Marta plan a garden, a new idea Fraulein had in conjunction with Frau Schmidt. Fraulein was helping Gretl with a short book and I was sitting on the rail of the balcony, reading as well, eating an apple.

"Fraulein Maria?"

"Yes, Marta?" Fraulein looked up from Gretl's book.

"Can I wear a pink dress to the wedding?" She asked. "I want to wear a pretty pink dress like the play one Liesl made for me and Gretl."

I laughed. "It's Gretl and I, Marta."

"No, you don't fit into it anymore Liesl! Remember?"

Everyone, except Gretl and Marta laughed. "Yes, I remember, Marta." I sighed. "Fraulein, what kind of flowers do you want?"

"I don't know. The only thing I know is that I want the wedding to be Nonnburg Abbey."

"Why?" Brigitta asked.

"They became my home." Fraulein explained. "I left my uncle's home as soon as I could. He was very mean to me and the Abbey made me happy. They became my family."

"You won't go back to the Abbey again, will you Fraulein?" Gretl asked.

"No, Gretl, you all are my family now. And I love each of you very much!" Fraulein smiled at us.

Over the next four weeks, Frau Schmidt helped Fraulein Maria plan basic things. Frau Schmidt helped her find a seamstress, florist, caterer, and everything else she could possibly need in town.

During the first week, Fraulein and Father invited all of us to participate in the wedding. Both Marta and Gretl were excited about the prospect of getting pink dresses. When they found out they would be white, they were a little less excited, but they still wanted to be in the wedding. Brigitta had no desire to walk down the long aisle at Nonnburg Church. Louisa didn't want to walk alone, so she decided not to either. Friedrich and Kurt were teenage boys and so, of course, decided immediately not to participate. Uncle Max was Father's best man, again, and Fraulein Maria asked me to be her maid of honor.

The next week we went to the caterer to determine the wedding dinner and the cake. After Fraulein Maria found out how much it would cost, she began to consider, she joked, running away with Father to Vienna for a week to elope. After the suppressed laughter from Father and the shocked look from Frau Schmidt, she quickly repressed the idea and went along with the seven course meal, being assured by Father and Frau Schmidt that the cost was not an issue.

The florist was a nice, old, Jewish couple who had inherited the business when they were first married from her parents. The seamstress was a middle age man with a French accent. We also determined that he would do the tuxedos for Friedrich and Kurt and the repairs for Father's.

After all the plans were in the process, the time seemed to fly by. Before we knew it, it was the morning before the wedding and Fraulein Maria was packing a small, overnight bag, preparing to spend the night at Nonnberg Abbey. Gretl and Marta were upset that Fraulein wouldn't be there to tuck them in for the next month. They couldn't comprehend that Fraulein now had to equally split time between Father and us.

"Fraulein, will you still you read to me everyday?" Gretl asked from the ball she had curled into in a chair in Fraulein's room as she packed.

"Maybe not everyday, but nearly everyday." Fraulein said, folding her undergarments on her bed as I picked out her plainest dress for the next morning.

"Will you still tuck us in?" Marta asked from the same chair. Fraulein Maria stopped her folding and knelt down to their level.

"I will always tuck you in at night. I will always love you. But now I also have to spend some alone time with your father."

"Are you going to kiss him when you're alone?" Gretl asked her.

"Yes." Fraulein smiled, blushing slightly.

"Eww!!" Gretl and Marta squealed.

I laughed as I finally chose a goldenrod colored dress for Fraulein. "Gretl, Marta, why don't you go play with your new dolls?" The seamstress that we used for the wedding used the old fashioned style of making dolls for the model of the dresses and he had kindly given Gretl and Marta the dolls for our family as a "gift" for their good behavior.

They seemed to agree with this, since they both took off running. Fraulein Maria and I laughed and finished packing. While we packed, we idly chatted. By the time we finished, Father was standing in the doorway, smiling.

"Maria, are you ready to leave?" She looked around and sighed.

"Fraulein, it's not as if you won't come back. You will." I laughed and hugged her. "Have a good night, Fraulein, Father. Enjoy dinner." I left the room and walked over to my room.

Over the last week, Fraulein Maria had gathered photographs and memories of Mother from Father, Friedrich, Louisa, Frau Schmidt, and I. With all she had to do, she managed to put together a small memory book for Brigitta, Marta, and Gretl. At the very end of the book was the last family picture we had taken, just after Gretl was born.

When I got to the room, I picked up the book and looked through it. One of the pictures Fraulein put in was the one I showed her at Father and Mother's wedding. As I went to turn the picture, I did a double glance and picked up the book, taking it into my room. I took the dress made for me and put it on.

Glancing back and forth from my reflection to the dress that Marta Blat, Mother's matron of honor had worn, I began to comprehend why my dress had looked so familiar to me.

Just as the idea clicked in my head, Frau Schmidt walked in.

"Oh, I'm sorry, dearie."

"It's alright Frau Schmidt." I said. "Can you button the back for me, please?"

"Of course." She said and walked over. When she finished the last button, she hugged me. "You look just like your mothers."

I smiled and twirled like I was ten years old again.


	23. A terrifying flag

**A/N:** School is good...finishing up our third show...spending some quality time with a Disney movie right now...living it up, let me tell you...  
**Disclaimer**: Again, not mine. I've pretty much given up by this point of coming up with funny phrases for this part.  
**Review Replies:  
**_Aline Banhara:_ Perhaps I am confusing you with Hanna Barbera. Anyways, it will either continue to the end of the movie (which is almost there) or with a short epilouge in Vermont. I'm not sure; it depends on how inspired I am.  
_gretehne:_ Good to know that I'm a possible breakthrough writer!! Thanks for the encouragement.  
_murieann_: That was a good line, wasn't it?? For my dad's wedding anniversary, he and my step-mum were going to show my little brother and sister the videotape of their wedding and my little sister was worried that there was going to be kissing in it.  
_Shannah:_ They'll probably show up in the next chapter or so. Thanks for the encouragement.  
Thanks also goes out to _Rebekahlucy, eac-dudette, _and _scotlass_ for reading.

* * *

The wedding went off without any major complications. Marta and Gretl had gone missing for about an hour, but they had only been exploring the Abbey and a dour faced nun named Sister Berthe brought them back. The wedding dinner was superb and Father took our new mother to Paris for about a month. 

During the month, Uncle Max stayed with us. While most of the time he was with us, there was two or three hours every day that he was in town. Once or twice a week, he took us with him, but most of the time he went by himself.

About two weeks after Father and Mother left, Uncle Max came home for dinner giddier than usually.

"Did you finally find a group to sing for you, Uncle Max?" Brigitta asked while we were quizzing him.

"Yes, I did and they're all signed up. They just need to find something to sing now." He smiled broadly and took a sip of his wine.

"Oh, who is it, Uncle Max? Are they very good?" Marta asked.

"Oh yes, they're quite good. I know of so many people who already love to hear them sing." He smiled again and looked at us.

"Who, Uncle Max?" Brigitta asked.

"You."

"Me?" Brigitta looked at him.

"Yes, you" he said, smiling at her, he turned to look at each of us in turn as he spoke our names. "And Liesl, Friedrich, Louisa, Kurt, Marta, and Gretl."

"Oh, Uncle Max!" Marta and Gretl ran to him and gave him a hug from each side.

"Uncle Max, I don't think Father will like it." Louisa said. Her smiling face contradicted her stern statement.

"Yes, he did he say he didn't want us singing in public." Brigitta agreed.

"Oh, yes, I know, but it's…" Uncle Max started, but Franz cut him off.

"Sir, you have a telegram." Franz handed him the small slip.

"Franz? Who delivered it?" I asked. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Brigitta nudging Louisa, both staring at me.

"It was a young lad. I believe his name is Michael." Franz turned and left the room.

The rest of the dinner was fairly silent. Uncle Max didn't share the contents of his telegram, but left the table, declaring he wasn't hungry. The next day, he asked Friedrich and I to figure out a song to sing and arrange for the festival. The next two weeks we took most of our time to do that, Uncle Max helping us to perfect it to what the judges would want and expect to hear.

The night before the festival, we all sat in the dining room. The little ones kept asking Uncle Max questions about the festival.

"How many people will be there, Uncle Max?" Brigitta asked.

"Oh, who knows? Perhaps not many this year." He replied, nonchalantly.

"How many are usually there?" Kurt asked.

"Oh, they've had upwards of thousands of guests." Uncle Max said, waving his fork around. The green bean that had been sitting on the prongs flew off and hit the wall, while Marta and Gretl giggled.

"I remember the stage being so far away that I couldn't really see the people from where we sat. Do you remember, Liesl?" Friedrich asked me.

"Friedrich, you were four years old. Anything more than 30 meters away from you was tiny." I laughed at him. When we were much younger, Father and Mother had taken Friedrich and I as a special treat. Kurt had just been born and Louisa was still too small to take.

"Why won't so many people be there this year, Uncle Max?" Gretl asked, after her giggling had settled down.

"Well, many of the people don't like…" Uncle Max was cut off by Franz entering, however his footsteps weren't alone.

"Sir, Herr Zellar here to see you. Shall I show him in?"

"Yes." Uncle Max sighed and rubbed his temple. "Children, why don't you go and work on your song for the festival upstairs?"

"Heil!" Herr Zellar walked into the room and saluted Uncle Max.

"You can't do that here!" Louisa stood up so suddenly that her chair fell to the floor with a loud clatter.

"Louisa, hush!" Uncle Max looked at her sharply.

"But, Father would…" she started.

"Young lady, we are now under the reign of the Third Riech. As an officer, I am required and _honored_ to salute Hitler." He then turned to Uncle Max. "Why is this the only house under the Third Riech not flying the flag?"

"Liesl, does he mean the one with the black spider on it?" Gretl asked.

"The one that makes Herr Zimmermen mad?" Marta asked, looking at Uncle Max.

"Hush girls. Come on, let's go upstairs. Uncle Max. Herr Zellar." I nodded at the two men, took Marta and Gretl's hand and motioned for everyone to leave before me before taking the two girls out of the room.

"You allow such comments…" I heard Herr Zellar say to Uncle Max before Franz closed the door to the dining room after we left.

"Liesl?" Louisa looked over at me. "Is Uncle Max going to be in trouble?"

"No, Louisa, he's not. He has no reason to be." I only said that to calm Marta and Gretl, but I knew the truth to an extent. He could be in great trouble. "Come on. Let's go out on the patio. The guitar is in the library."

We decided to sing "Do-Re-Mi," which we added greatly to in order to make it a bit more interesting.

After working on arranging the song for about an hour, I had Friedrich and Louisa start putting the younger children to bed. I told them that I wanted to speak with Uncle Max. As I walked downstairs, I was listened carefully to hear if Herr Zellar had left yet. When I didn't hear any voices, I walked over to the kitchen to see if Frau Schmidt knew where Uncle Max was at.

Before I got to the kitchen, I could hear Frau Schmidt mumbling. "Those damned people. Ruining a perfectly good family meal with this Nazi…"

"Frau Schmidt?" I startled Frau Schmidt, who quickly turned around with a bowl in one hand and a wooden spoon in another. "Do you know where Uncle Max is?"

"I believe he's in your father's office, love." I nodded and turned around to leave.

"Liesl?" I turned around and faced her. "It might be best if you didn't mention my mumblings to anyone else in the house."

"Yes Frau Schmidt." I turned around again and left the kitchen, smiling to myself as the picture of Frau Schmidt whipping her batter as though it was Herr Zellar kept running through my mind.

When I got to Father's office, I found Uncle Max sitting at his desk, looking out the window, with a piece of paper in his hands. I knocked on the door, startling Uncle Max as well.

"Yes Liesl?" He smiled when he say me.

"Uncle Max, are you going to be in trouble?" I stepped into the room.

"Why would I be in trouble?" Uncle Max laughed and leaned against the edge of the desk.

"Well, that man, Herr Zellar, didn't seem like he was here to congratulate you on finding a group for the festival."

"No, don't worry about it Liesl. Tomorrow you all will come down with me to the festival house in the morning so that you can practice on the stage. Make sure that the children are ready by 11." I nodded and stood up. "It's time for bed. Good night Liesl."

"Good night Uncle Max." I kissed him on the cheek and went upstairs.

Louisa and Brigitta were sitting up in their room, laughing about something. I poked my head in their door and told them of Uncle Max's plan and they climbed under their covers. Friedrich was already in bed, as was Kurt, Marta, and Gretl. I went over to my room, undressed, and climbed into bed. As I feel asleep, I kept seeing Rolf entering our dining room, saying how he was proud and honored to salute to Adolph Hitler.

The next morning, we were all downstairs eating breakfast, when Uncle Max walked in and told everyone else the plan.

"Oh, do we get to take a bus?" Marta asked.

"No, we'll take the car." Uncle Max answered. "Is the song prepared?"

"Yes, it'll be perfect for the performance!" Marta answered, bouncing in her seat.

"Marta, do calm down. You'll spill something onto your dress." Frau Schmidt asked her, walking in with a tray of coffee for Uncle Max.

"Frau Schmidt, today, at lunch, please serve the children only water or tea. No diary products or any sort of chocolate." Frau Schmidt nodded and left the room.

"Liesl, what sort of things are diary products?" Gretl asked me quietly as Brigitta questioned the logic behind Uncle Max's choice.

"Things like milk, cheese. And you probably won't get a small bowl of ice cream after dinner either." I told her, smiling.

"No ice cream!?" She yelled, turning to Uncle Max and performed her "pouty lips."

"No ice cream." Uncle Max firmly stated. "For any of you." He cut Kurt off before Kurt even spoke. "I was just explaining to Brigitta. The diary products coat your throat and make it harder for you all to sing. Especially you, Liesl and Louisa. You have some higher notes in the harmony and it's especially important that you make them all. Now," he clapped his hands and pushed his chair back. "Who is ready to go practice for the festival?"

We all cheered, got up, and left for downtown Vienna, laughing and singing the whole way.


	24. Trouble

**A/N:** Wow, guys, I am so sorry. I didn't realize how long it had been since I updated this. I really didn't think it was this long. For some reason, I just lost interest. But I found a little bit of it over break so...new chapter! And we're almost there! Thank you for sticking with me, especially those of you who have been there since the beginning! It just doesn't feel like a chapter without you! So, anyways, Happy New Year everyone! Hope that 2008 goes great! One of my resolutions is to finish what I've started, so maybe this'll get done!!! Woo-hoo!!!  
**Disclaimer:** Nope, still not mine.  
**Review Replies:**  
_Wiztine: _Nope, it's still going. It's kind of like the energizer bunny...  
_Mandi96_: Thanks for reading! Glad you're enjoying it.  
_Aline_: Oh, Lordy, taking it to Vermont anymore...I think that's gonna be a bit too long for me...  
_Shannah_: Don't worry about it. That's like me and "Girls Next Door." Things come to a screeching halt for it, Sundays at 10  
_Anne Woodbury_: Thanks. I think it comes from being in theatre...it's one of the things you have to do is give a character you're portraying an entire lifetime of memories from certain things they say. And grammar mistakes are horrible I know...I'm sorry!

* * *

**Trouble  
**Posted January 14, 2008

"Now, children, there are certain ways that you need…"

"Do…Re…Mi…"

"Stand up taller, Gretl. No slouching from any of you. Now, try this…"

After an hour and a half of Uncle Max instructing us, he finally gathered us in front of him to give us last minute instructions.

"Herr Detweiler." We all looked over as Herr Zeller walked toward us with another man who wasn't smiling. "Heil Hitler!" I could feel both Louisa and Brigitta stiffen just a bit.

"Oh, good afternoon Herr Zeller." Uncle Max also stiffened. He hated using that phrase, especially around Gretl and Marta.

"Perhaps you've not heard. I'm now the Gauleiter. Heil Hitler." Zeller saluted again.

"Oh-ah, Heil Hitler." Uncle Max also saluted, but quickly wiped his lips with his hand.

Satisfied, Herr Zeller continued talking. "I have just come from the house of Captain Von Trapp. Incidentally, the only one in the neighborhood not flying the flag of the Third Reich since the Anschluss. But we have dealt with that situation."

Uncle Max tried to cut in, telling him that Father wouldn't have approved, but Herr Zeller just kept talking. "We want to know when the Captain will be returning."

"Well, he's on his honeymoon trip. Uh, he's not been in touch with us." Uncle Max told him. Herr Zeller probably already knew that, I though wryly.

"Are you asking me to believe that the Captain has not communicated with his children in over a month?"

"Herr Zeller, how many men do you know who communicate with their children while on their honeymoon?" Uncle Max retorted, smirking. Father had explained to us all a few days before the wedding that while he was away with Mother, he wouldn't call or write. When Marta asked why, he explained that this was a time for a new husband and wife to learn new things about each other without being interrupted by other people. Friedrich and I understood that to be more personal matters; Gretl asked if that meant Mother's favorite color.

"…and may I congratulate you, that is, your people, on deciding to allow the festival to go on tonight as planned?" I heard Uncle Max say to Herr Zeller. He had explained to Friedrich, Louisa, and I that the Third Reich may not want things that were Austrian anymore because they want everyone to be united under them. Then why aren't we allowed to shop at the Zimmerman's anymore? Louisa had asked. Uncle Max didn't answer that question.

"Why should it not go on? Nothing in Austria has changed. Singing and music will show this to the world. Austria is the same. Heil Hitler." Zeller snapped, turned, and walked out. I could feel Louisa unclench her one fist as he walked out.

"Heil Hitler." Uncle Max looked at his hand, and then rubbed his nose. "Come on, children, let's go home." He turned to gather a few things.

"Why was he so cross?" Gretl asked. Brigitta was holding her hand.

"Everybody's cross these days, darling." Uncle Max started to lead us back to the door.

"Maybe the flag with the black spider on it makes people nervous." Marta innocently said.

"Is Father going to be in trouble?" I asked. Herr Zeller coming to the house once was bad enough, but now he was searching Uncle Max out for information about him.

"Well, he doesn't have to be. The thing to do these days is to get along with everybody. I want you all to remember that tonight at the concert." Uncle Max changed the subject. We could tell it was making him uncomfortable.

"Are we really going to sing before a whole lot of people tonight?" Brigitta asked, stopping on the steps.

"Of course, look." He pulled a program from underneath his arm and opened it up. "The Von Trapp Family Singers. Here are your names -- Liesl, Friedrich, Louisa, Brigitta, Kurt, Marta and Gretl." It was fascinating to see all of our names in print. I'd always liked seeing mine; it looked so elegant.

"Why am I always last?" Gretl asked.

"Because you are the most important." Uncle Max told her, tapping her on the nose.

"Ohhh!" We all smiled and left the amphitheater; Uncle Max sighed; we all could remember tantrums that Gretl had occasionally thrown when she wasn't pleased with being the youngest.

"Uncle Max, are you sure Father will approve of our singing in public?" Brigitta asked him as we walked toward the car.

"Oh, he'll be pleased and proud."

"Liesl, do you think so?" I started to answer, but Uncle Max answered first.

"Don't you trust me?" He had a wounded look on his face.

"No!" Brigitta said soundly, smiling.

"You're a very intelligent girl." Uncle Max smiled at her and we started to get into the car.

"Liesl! Liesl!" I realized that was my name and turned around to see Rolf standing there!

"Rolfe! Rolfe, I'm so glad to see you. It's been such –" I started to tell him how much I had missed him.

He cut me off. "Good afternoon. You will take this please and deliver it to your father as soon as he comes home."

"He's on his honeymoon." I started to explain.

"I know that."

"You do?" There wasn't a wedding announcement in the paper; at least not a big one. And I hadn't seen him in ages.

"We make it our business to know everything about everyone." Rolfe hadn't smiled at me yet and I had given him my best smile.

"Who's we?" I was worried now.

"See that he gets it." He was being evasive and I didn't like it. He was usually so open.

"What is it?"

"It's a telegram from Berlin." He had been worried about Berlin before. But why? I couldn't remember.

"Don't you want to come over tonight and deliver it yourself?" I wanted to take a step closer to him, but Uncle Max and my siblings were watching.

"I'm now occupied with more important matters. And your father better be too if he knows what's good for him."

"But Rolfe…" He turned and walked away, not even waving to my family. I watched him walk away before Uncle Max called me. I put the telegram in my pocket, smiled, and turned around. I was setting the pace again for my younger brothers and sisters; it's what I was good at.

Everyone was chatting on the way home. I participated occasionally; I could feel Uncle Max, Louisa, and Brigitta watching me closely. Mostly, though, I just looked at the shops passing by. As we drove through town, we passed by the Zimmerman's shop. I waved, expecting to be waved back at by Frau Zimmerman, but instead, the lights were all turned off and the windows were boarded up.

I gasped slightly, but kept the news to myself. I was worried that the same people that had gotten to Rolf had gotten to Herr and Frau Zimmerman. They weren't as blessed as Rolf though.

* * *

**A/N:** I'd like to clear this up before I get any nasty people telling me that Rolf is anything but blessed. What I mean is that at least Rolf is not starving with thousands of other people in wooden huts. That's all. 


	25. Only Sixteen

**A/N:** So, it hasn't been that long since I last updated...three months isn't long for me. I'm sorry it takes so long for me to update and I appreciate everyone who sticks around!! You rock, one and all!! School's good...almost Spring Break...just three more days!!! FYI, people keep asking if I'm going to take this to Vermont, like I had thought about at the beginning. To answer that, no, it's going to end where the movie ends. I'm going to follow through with this story to the end of the movie, but after that, I've got to many other things I want to write and school, especially when I get cast in shows and actually focus on school work, is just too much. If anyone is interested in continuing the story in this fashion, I would be happy to look it over for you. But, no, I personally will not take this story to Vermont.  
**Disclaimer:** I am not making a profit off of this

* * *

**Only Sixteen  
** Posted: March 12, 2008

For the rest of the car ride, I was very pensive. Louisa attempted to ask me what was wrong multiple times, but after the fourth time Uncle Max told her to leave me alone.

As we pulled into the driveway, we saw Father standing out front. I noticed something red in his hand, but decided it was something I shouldn't ask him about at the moment.

"Father! Father!" We all yelled. Everyone started to stand up to jump out of the car.

"Hello!" He said, hugging as many of us as he could. Mother walked out of the house and we all swarmed around her as well.

"We wanted to meet your train!" Louisa exclaimed. "Did you bring us anything?" Kurt asked. "Why didn't you telephone us?" Friedrich insisted.

"We tried, but we couldn't get through!" Mother laughed. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Father move back to whisper with Uncle Max "We tried to send a telegraph, too. It must not have been delivered yet."

Father suddenly ran into the group and swung Marta up onto his waist and laughed. "Well, well, well, well, well! We missed you!"

"We missed kissing you good night." Mother smiled, hugging Louisa.

"We missed all the noise you make in the morning telling each other to be quiet." We all laughed. Saturday mornings were both very quiet at times and very noisy when someone decided that they needed a playmate.

"Mostly, we missed hearing you sing." Mother looked around and smiled some more.

"Oh, you came back just in time." Brigitta insisted. With an evil-like grin on her face, she turned and took a program from Uncle Max. I could hear the sigh that he emitted as she showed Mother. "Look, Fraulein Maria, I mean Mother..." We all laughed. "We're going to sing in the festival tonight."

"What?" Mother looked surprised, as both she and Father looked back at Uncle Max. Louisa and I giggled silently. We had been on the receiving end of the patented "Father's upset" look.

"Surprise, surprise!" Uncle Max shrugged and laughed a little as Father looked over the program.

Father chuckled slightly, and then looked at us all. "All right! Surprises for you on the terrace."

"Presents!" Friedrich yelled and led the way, running to the back of the house. Mother and I laughed and began to walk into the house as well, our arms around each other.

"…make a last- minute decision. I was fortunate to enter them all." Uncle Max and Father entered the house behind us, while Mother started to tell me about Paris.

"Max…" At the tone in Father's voice, both Mother and I stopped to turn and watch.

"They'll be the talk of the festival. Imagine seven children in one family." Uncle Max smiled at Mother and I.

"Max!" Father stopped walking and turned to face Uncle Max. "Somehow I recall having made it quite clear to you how I feel about my family singing in public."

"But the committee heard them. They were enchanted." Uncle Max protested.

Mother took a step forward. "Oh, Max, what did they say?"

"I have never heard such enthusiasm." Uncle Max said, walking towards Mother and me. I could see the glint in his eye that he got at times. He had found a supporter.

"Oh, darling, don't you think just this once…" Mother started to walk towards Father, but he cut her off.

"Absolutely out of the question." Father started to walk towards his office, the program still in his hands.

Uncle Max tried again. "Georg, this is for Austria."

Father stopped and turned sharply. When I saw the look on his face, I took a step back. I had seen the look before. It was the same look that Father had given me the morning he fired Fraulein Anna. "For Austria?" He gave a hollow laugh. I hated that laugh. It was such a cold laugh that didn't even reach his mouth. "There is no Austria!" He started to walk away again.

"But the Anschluss happened peacefully. Let's at least be grateful for that." Uncle Max seemed to be pushing all the wrong buttons this afternoon.

"Grateful!? You know, Max, sometimes I don't believe I know you." Uncle Max and Father just stared at each for a moment, almost like two animals prepared to fight.

Then I remembered the telegram in my pocket. "Father," He looked at me. I walked forward, with the telegram in my hand. "I forgot. This is for you." He took the telegram and turned on his heels, walking quietly to his office.

Mother, Uncle Max and I watched him walk away, the sounds of the rest of the children laughing on the terrace floating towards us.

After the office door closed, Uncle Max turned to look at us. "Maria, he's got to at least to pretend to work with these people. You must convince him."

Mother sighed. "Max, I can't ask him to be less than he is."

"Then I'll talk to him. If the children don't sing at the festival, well, it'll be a reflection on Austria." Mother smiled at him gently. "I know, it wouldn't do me any good, either." She laughed quietly as he walked away and held her arm out for me.

As we walked towards the sitting room, I smiled. "Mother?"

"Hm?"

"That sounds so nice. I like calling you Mother."

"I like hearing it."

I smiled again. It had been ages since I'd said the word and someone responded to it. "You love Father very much. I can tell you do."

"Very much," She smiled at me, though I could tell she wasn't all there.

"Mother, what do you do when you think you love someone, I mean, when you stop loving someone or when he stops loving you?" I had confused my self. Mother stopped and looked at me for a moment, then sat down on the small sofa in the sitting room. I followed her and sat quietly while she thought.

"Well, you cry a little and then you wait for the sun to come out. It always does." She smiled and took my hand.

"There's so many things I think I should know. But I don't. I really don't." I thought briefly of the years before she had arrived and how much everyone seemed to depend on me. And then she came and I felt like I could finally be a teenager.

"How can you?"

"Sometimes I feel the world is coming to an end." I thought of my first mother dying, of losing Father after she died.

"And then you feel it's just beginning." She squeezed my hand and I smiled again.

"Yes!" I thought of Mother finally becoming our mother. I thought of when Rolf kissed me in the gazebo.

"It was that way with me, Liesl. And for you it will be just as wonderful I promise."

"Do you really think so?" I asked her. I thought of Rolf walking away that afternoon without a smile every crossing his face.

"When you're sixteen going on seventeen

Waiting for life to start

Somebody kind who touches your mind

Will suddenly touch your heart"

"When that happens, after it happens

Nothing is quite the same

Somehow I know I'll jump up and go

If ever he calls my name"

I smiled at Mother, glad that I finally had someone who could understand.

"Gone are your old ideas of life

The old ideas grow dim

Lo and behold you're someone's wife

And you belong to him

You may think this kind of adventure

Never may come to you

Darling, sixteen going on seventeen

Wait a year ..."

I nodded:

"I'll wait a year…"

"Or two. Just…"

She assured me.

"…wait a year or two."

I smiled at Mother and hugged her. She was right. I had, for years, been trying to act grown-up. I was only sixteen. I could wait.

"Liesl."

I looked up and saw Father standing in the doorway with the telegram. I had never noticed how old he really was. He had to be close to 45. There were lines in his face that looked so deep.

He nodded for me to leave the room. I got up and walked over to the door and stopped for a moment to look at him. I went to leave, but he grabbed my hand and smiled at me briefly, before stroking my cheek. It wasn't a loving gesture, really, but more of a reassuring one. He knew that I knew something was happening that something was wrong. I smiled at him and left the room.

Instead of going out to the terrace with my siblings, I decided to go up to my room. Walking up the stairs, I heard "Berlin," I stopped and gasped. I quietly ran up to the landing above the parlor.

"Get the children all together. Don't say anything that's going to make them worry. Just get them ready. We've got to get out of Austria and this house…" Father paused. "…tonight."

I let out another gasp and felt the tears welling up in my eyes. Leave our house? Mother was buried mere minutes away. I couldn't leave her. I ran into my room and curled myself onto a ball on the window seat and let the tears flow down my cheeks without making a sound, thinking of what leaving the only place I had lived would mean.


	26. A New Adventure

**A/N:** Thanks again to all the wonderful people who stick around while this takes forever to write. I promise, next story I post will be a completed story when I go to publish. Oh, by the way, happy Father's day to any father's who actually read this!  
**Disclaimer:** I am not making any profit from this except in the obvious difference in my writing between the first chapter and now.

* * *

**A New Adventure  
**Posted: June 15, 2008

A knock interrupted my musings a few minutes later. "Liesl?" I didn't answer. "Liesl, please answer me. I know you heard your mother and I talking."

"Come in." I said quietly, not looking towards the door, but gazing out the window. I heard the door open and Father's footsteps walk over to the side of the bed beside the window. The creak of the bedsprings indicated he had sat down, but for a few moments, we both just sat looking out the window.

"Did you know that you wouldn't let anyone open the gate to the river in your presence until you were about…?"

"…seven. Friedrich dared Louisa to open it and push me into the river. That was the only time I ever remember Mother hitting anyone." Tears began streaming down my face again at the memory.

_The gate scared me. It was very imposing and I wasn't the strongest swimmer. Father had taught me when I was four, of course, but I could never grasp the idea of being able to breath at just the right time and the stroke and the kick. I was more of a dog paddler than an actually swimmer like Friedrich or Louisa. I was standing at the gate, trying to force myself to open it and get in the river. _

"She was always so forgiving and managed to make you apologetic without using too much force." Father reached across and held my hand gently. "Liesl, please look at me." I turned my head so I could see him out of the corner of my eye. "Liesl." The voice. I turned my head completely and was surprised to see him crouching right next to the window. "I understand how hard it is to leave this house."

"It's not just the house, Father. It's…" I started, but the words got caught in the throat and, for the first time since I heard him say the words, I began to sob. Hard sobs that wouldn't stop. Father held me in his arms, rocking and stroking my head, just like he had when I ran to him after pulling myself out of the river.

Half an hour later, Mother came knocked on the door and poked her head in. "The children are asking for you, Georg." He nodded and Mother closed the door.

"Liesl, I need you to be strong. Maria and I can't do this all by ourselves." I sat up and wiped at my eyes. Father smiled briefly and pulled his handkerchief out and wiped at my eyes for me.

"I'll help where you need me to." I gave one last sigh and stood up. "How much are we allowed to pack?"

"Not much. I'll send Maria in to help you pack, while I go see what your siblings want." Father went to the door, but then came back over to me at my bureau, where I had started searching through some of my shirts. "Liesl," I turned around and looked at him. "I love you very much. Always remember that." He kissed me on the forehead and left.

As soon as the door closed, I sank into my chair and let a few more tears slid down my cheeks before I stood up and began shuffling through my clothes again.

By four o'clock, I had turned a pile that took over my entire bed into one that took up a small corner. It consisted mostly of clothes, but next to the pile sat the items I would not part with: the photo collection Mother had made before the wedding, the book of fairy tales that my mother read to all seven of us before she died, and a few smaller trinkets that I had collected over the years from friends.

I began to tidy up the rest of the room, when Mother knocked on the door and opened it slowly. "Liesl?"

I turned to look at her and smiled. "I'll be alright. It's a new adventure. It's…"

She hugged me close and I let the memories engulf me again as I rested my head on her shoulder. I sighed again and pulled away. "You don't always have to be brave, you know. It's quite alright to act sixteen."

I nodded and began to tidy up again. "Originally, I had a large pile of things I wanted to take, but I kept sorting it until it was the size that it is now. Those are the things I refuse to part with." I brushed the skirt of my white dress with the yellow sash and hung it up in my closet. I turned around to find Mother gazing at me thoughtfully. "It can be reproduced when we get wherever we're going to. It's just a white dress."

"Liesl, I'm very proud of you." She smiled as she looked through the things I had picked.

"Thank you." I sat in my chair and watched her, thinking of how Mother must feel. She had married Father, thinking that she'd come back and unpack and life would be almost as it was when she first got here. "Mother?"

"Hm?"

"How do you feel about all this?" she looked at me closely, before setting the skirt she had been refolding down.

"When I married your father, I vowed to be with him 'for better or for worse, in richness and in poorness.' This is the path that God has chosen for us to lead. I once heard someone say that 'the sorrows God sent us brought comfort and strength with them' and I firmly believe that God would not have sent us this if he did not feel we couldn't handle it."

"But, in a way, didn't Father bring this on himself? Wouldn't it have been easier to take the assignment?"

"Yes, it would seem that way. But your father would have live with the fact that he had decided to work for a group of people that he despises every day of his life. He would rather leave the house where he watched all his children grow up and start again, then work for people that are doing the wrong thing." Mother stood up, walked over to me, and lifted my face gently by the chin. "I hope that one day you can find someone that you love so much, that no matter what decisions he makes, you can stand beside him and not question what he is doing, but know that he is doing it for the good of your family's future." She kissed me on the forehead and walked to the door. "I'm going to get my carpet bag for your things. I'll be back in a moment." She smiled and closed the door. Sighing, I leaned back in my chair and thought about what she had said.

The rest of the afternoon flashed by in spurts; I remember helping Louisa and Brigitta decide what to bring and what not to. I remember briefly eating dinner with the family in the dining room. I remember helping Mother pack food in a small sack that would hopefully last us for a few days or until we could purchase more food.

At nine o'clock, after putting the five bags into the back of the car, Uncle Max, Father, and Kurt began pushing the car out of the garage with Friedrich steering. Mother held Gretl's hand, while Marta held on to Louisa. When we started out, I lagged a few steps behind, unwilling to leave.

"Liesl, please stay with us." Mother whispered back to me. I nodded and sped up to walk with my sisters.

"Why doesn't Father turn the motor on?" Marta asked no one in particular.

"Because he doesn't want anyone to hear us!" Kurt nearly yelled across the front yard. I held in a giggle because, as dire as the situation was, this was still my family and they usually didn't know how funny they could be.

"What will Frau Schmidt and Franz say when they discover we're gone?" Louisa asked Mother. Mother and Father had sat Louisa and Friedrich down and told them about the situation.

"They'll be able to answer truthfully they didn't know anything about it if anyone asks them." Mother answered.

"Will we be coming back here?" I asked. We were passing the fountain in the front.

"Someday, Liesl, I do hope someday." I could see her smile briefly at me in the dark and I smiled back, holding back my sigh. Mother knew how hard it was for me and I didn't need to scare my siblings.

"Are Father and Uncle Max going to push the car all the way to Switzerland?" Gretl asked a little too loudly.

"Shh!" Maria shushed, but I didn't hear her response. I saw Friedrich run ahead to open the front gate. We then all scurried to get into the car, but a strong light blinded us before we were all in the car.

"Something wrong with your car, Captain?" Herr Zeller. How he found out, I don't know, but my stomach dropped.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, we couldn't get it started." Father smiled slightly at him.

"Karl!" He yelled and a young man stepped forward. "Fix Captain Von Trapp's car so that it will start."

As Karl marched over, I felt Mother lightly brush my hand and motion to the open door. I glanced at her briefly and saw that she wanted me to get the girls into the car. I nodded and gently guided Gretl to the car, knowing that Marta would carefully follow. As Gretl inched towards the car, the engine turned over and I saw Karl step back to Herr Zellar. I stopped paying attention to what Father and Herr Zellar was saying, but finished ushering my siblings into the car.

As Louisa climbed in, I briefly squeezed Mother's hand in notification and felt her attempt to pull her hand out. I held on tightly and her head turned briefly to glance at me with a worried glance, but when she saw the scared look on my face, she merely held on until Friedrich had climbed in as well.

As I slid into the back seat, I saw Mother, Father, and Uncle Max climbed in and whisper indignantly to each other. As the car started moving, Mother looked back at the three older children and the two littlest in the back and smiled slightly.

"Well, children, it would appear that your Father and I are in need of some singing lessons. What are we singing tonight?"


	27. A Festival of Memories

**A Festival of Memories  
**Posted December 22, 2010

We determined that the easiest thing for Father would be to learn the basics and sing a lower harmony that didn't require many words. Once Mother and Father had worked out how to make their lie believable for Herr Zeller, the next part became how to escape. Trying to hear the whispering over Gretl's head in the front seat, Friedrich and I leaned forward slightly.

"…majority of the officers will be there." Uncle Max said, as Mother shook her head.

"We can't stay for the awards ceremony." Father said stiffly. "But they'll be looking for us. We need somewhere to hide before we cross the border to divert them."

"Where are you thinking Georg? Everything in town has loyalties to the Reich or is closed down." Uncle Max said. "Perhaps you should stay for the award ceremony…"

"No." Father whispered sharply, taking the opportunity at an intersection to look shrewdly at Uncle Max. "We need to leave tonight, otherwise they take custody…"

"The Abbey." Mother whispered suddenly. "The Mother Abbess won't let the Reich in to the Abbey on grounds of it being a holy place."

"How far is it from the theater?" Max asked. "Will you be able to get away?"

"It's only a few blocks, Mother!" Friedrich whispered excitedly before I could stop him. Father nearly lost control of the car glaring at him from the front seat.

"Friedrich, sit back." Father said sharply. Exhaling, he stopped the car outside of the theater and turned to us in the backseat. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, Father. I remember from when we went to visit Mother before she came back." Friedrich said, eager to help.

"There's a small park nearby where you could park the car Father." I offered. "If Mother were to hide in the backseat, Uncle Max could take it over and Mother could speak with one of the Sisters, so they can prepare."

"It's true Georg. The park hasn't been searched either because of the Abbey. And Mother Superior will surely take us in." Mother said, laying a gentle hand on his arm.

"Fine. It needs to be understood before we leave this car," Father started, addressing all of us. "You are to do exactly as you are told. There is to be no fighting, no questioning an order, no squabbling. " He eyed Louisa, Kurt, and Friedrich in particular; we all nodded before Father turned to Max. "Take us in, do what you do need to do. Maria, feign sickness just before he leaves and Max will take you outside for some fresh air, while I stay with the children."

Piling out of the car, Mother started rubbing her stomach and grimacing. "Mother, are you alright? You don't look well." Brigitta said anxiously.

"Just some nerves, darling. I'll be alright in a bit. Once Uncle Max checks us in, I might step outside for some air." Mother said, stroking her head as we walked in. Herr Zeller was already waiting for us.

"Ah, the Von Trapp family singers. So glad to see that you did not get lost. We were worried about you." His smooth talk only seemed to nauseate Mother further.

"Well, of course Herr Zeller, we needed to stop a few times – Maria here does not do well with traveling by car. Do you need some air, darling? I can take care of the children." Father turned to Mother, smoothly taking Gretl and Marta's hand.

"Yes, I think I will. Is that quite alright, Herr Zeller." Her voice took a sudden edge that startled me – I had never heard that particular tone in her voice before and it unnerved me slightly.

"Certainly Frau von Trapp. Let one of my men escort you." He turned to one of the men on his right.

"No, I will take her, thank you though." Uncle Max stepped in smoothly. "Georg, they are asking for the performers to wait in the rooms downstairs. The chil…you'll all be able to warm up down there."

Nodding to Uncle Max, Father began to herd us in the direction, while Uncle Max and Mother turned back through the back door. Slipping a few steps behind everyone, I paused for a moment to watch Herr Zeller watch Mother and Uncle Max. "Liesl. Keep up." Father said shortly, looking back at me. I nodded and quickly caught up.

Five minutes later, which seemed to take an eternity, Mother and Uncle Max joined us in the downstairs room. "Everything is set." Max whispered loudly. "I must run, they're starting and I'm the host for the evening. Break a leg, everyone." He ran out of the room, brushing out some invisible lint on his jacket.

"Is everything set at the Abbey, Maria?" Father asked in a hushed voice, watching one of the other groups shrewdly as they warmed up.

"Yes, Mother Superior is ready for us to return in about half an hour – she said that she would keep a listen out for any news that would affect our plans and let us know."

"Children, it is very important that you listen to me right now and remember what I'm telling you." Father began, watching as the room slowly emptied of the other groups. "Uncle Max will let us sing while the judges make a final decision."

"What else are we singing?" Brigitta asked, confused. We had only prepared "Do-Re-Mi" and "Edelwiess."

"The song you sang the night of the party. But we're rearranging it slightly. Kurt and Marta will sing together, then Liesl and Friedrich, then Louisa and Brigitta, then Gretl. Kurt, Marta, you will wait just outside the hallway for Liesl and Friedrich. Friedrich as soon as you leave, lead Kurt and Marta to the car, Liesl, wait for the other girls, and then take them. Maria and I will follow you after and then we'll…"

"Von Trapp family singers?" A lady with a clipboard entered the room. "You're up next. Please follow me." Father nodded slightly and motioned for us to follow. Breathing deeply, I knew there was no turning back. We only had one chance and this was it.

The performance sped by so fast, that it seemed that we had just walked on stage when Uncle Max was suddenly telling the audience that Father was going under the command of the Third Reich. Louisa made to say something to me, but Father quickly pinched her, indicating her silence was necessary. Quickly replacing her shocked face with a smile made to fool any governess, we sang our Austrian swan song.

Friedrich and I started off stage, hesitating only a moment before quickly scurrying off completely. Friedrich grabbed Marta's hand and took off quickly with Kurt, nodding to me. Waiting for Louisa, Brigitta, and Gretl was almost as frustrating as translating those fairy tales Mother had given me before, if only because I knew that they would all have questions.

Sure enough, as soon as Gretl left the stage, she started to ask me a question, but I quickly cut her off, picking her up and following Louisa and Brigitta. "Gretl, it is especially important that you not speak right now. Do you remember how when we would play hide and go seek in the house, we couldn't talk because then someone would find us?" I whispered to her; she nodded seriously. "This is exactly like that, except that we have to hide from the bad men who want to take Father away. So it is extremely important that we win this game of hide and go seek." Gretl nodded solemnly again and silently zippered her lip shut.

Leaving the theatre and looking left and right, I saw that Friedrich was huddled up a little by the Abbey, but not going for the park. "Friedrich, we're supposed to be going to…" I started to whisper loudly, but was cut off by a loud voice.

"Who's there?" A young man I couldn't place quickly came up towards. The swastika on his arm quickly brought tears to Gretl's eyes and even quieted Louisa and Brigitta's whispers.

"My name is Anna." I quickly lied. "My sisters and I were at the festival, but little Heidi here didn't feel well, so we brought her outside, not wanting to disturb the rest of the spectators." Breathing shallowly, I prayed that he hadn't been with Herr Zeller earlier and would be able to recognize me.

He nodded curtly. "Very well. Hurry along; it's not always safe for young ladies such as you to be walking around after dark, Fraulein Anna."

"Of course, sir. Thank you." I nodded my head in his direction before taking off, pushing Louisa and Brigitta ahead of me. Turning around to make sure he had truly left, the four of us ducked into the alley where Friedrich, Kurt, and Marta were waiting. Marta quickly clung to Louisa, tears silently streaming down her face.

"They found the car." Friedrich explained. "I heard them as we were walking out. The Abbey is only two blocks away, but we should wait for Father and Mother."

I nodded my agreement. "I'll wait for them in the street. If the guard passes by again, I'll tell him we're waiting for our parents. Louisa, Brigitta, come out with me so it doesn't look suspicious." Taking another deep breath, I stepped outside, just in time to see Mother and Father coming up the street.

"Father!" I said, gaining his attention. Quickly coming up the street to join us, I could see the fury in his face that we had not followed orders. "Friedrich said they found the car. We were waiting for you to come out."

"We'll go straight to the Abbey then and leave from there. Perhaps they can let us borrow their car." Father nodded, looking at Maria.

"They might, but if Herr…" Mother was cut off by a sharp whistle from down the street.

"They know we're gone." Father said, turning to all of us. "Quickly." We all began the short trip to the Abbey, praying that the Sisters were waiting for us.

"Sister Margaretta, they found our car." Maria said as she quietly ushered us into the Abbey. "Is there any way we could borrow the caretakers?" Father stood next to the gate, listening for the cars.

"Perhaps, child, but we would need to ask the Mother Superior." The Sister said, holding her hand.

"Mother? Why do the bad men want Father?" Marta asked.

"Marta, darling, it is very, very important that we stay quiet. We will explain everything once we're safe." Mother said, squeezing her hand. The bell rang, startling us all. Father walked over and we were quickly led away by the Mother Superior.

"I'll hide you in the graveyard for now. The graves of the older Mothers are caged in, so if you hide in there, they shouldn't find you."

"Oh, Reverend Mother, we didn't realize we put the Abbey in this danger." Mother apologized, breathless as the Mother Superior went to open the gates.

"No, Maria, it was right for you to come here." She said softly, turning to all of us.

"We thought we might borrow your caretaker's car." Father said.

"I'm afraid our car will do you no good now. I've been listening to the wires. The borders have just been closed." I could hear the sharp intake of Father's breath and see his mind wheeling, as he ushered into the grave.

"All right, if the borders are closed…then we'll drive up into the hills and go over the mountains on foot." Father said, the plan whirring in his brain.

"The children?" Mother questioned.

"We'll help them." Father assured her.

"We can do it without help Father." Friedrich said, ignoring my pinch. Father came in and began splitting everyone up, figuring out who would fit best against whom, while Mother received the key from the Mother Superior.

"Father, what will happen if they find us?" Brigitta asked, concern on her face. Her over-active imagination was not helpful at a time like this.

"Do not think of such a thing Brigitta." Father said sharply, placing her in the middle, next to me. "It will only cause distractions."

"I'm scared." Marta whispered in my lap, her head leaning against the tombstone. "Me too." Brigitta whispered, shifting into place. I squeezed Brigitta's hand and held onto Marta a little tighter. It was truly out of our hands.

Father stood next to me, watching for any signs or sounds of movement. As the sound of footsteps approached us, he quickly ducked down behind me. The group moved closer; we could hear their footsteps becoming more numerous, or maybe it just felt that way. Suddenly the gates to our right started shaking and we saw them shining the light on the tombstones, trying to see behind them. Father pulled himself in tighter and motioned for Kurt to do the same thing. As they came closer, I could feel Brigitta's breath becoming shallow; I had forgotten that, at times, she could suffer from mild panic attacks. Clutching her closer and rubbing her back, I could hear her breath become steadier, but I knew better then to let go. After Mother died, she often had them while we were playing hide-and-go-seek and she was left alone too long.

Finally the light began shining on Mother's tombstone and then over towards ours. But then it traced back over; had they heard Brigitta breathing? Had Gretl let out a sob that they heard? Finally, they decided to leave, moving towards the roof. Father quietly moved, only to be stopped by a flashlight. I peeked over the edge and saw him. Rolf! Father made a step towards him, giving me space to stand.

"Rolf, please!" I begged, hoping that the times we had spent together would give him some form of compassion for my family. We stood there, locked, staring at each other. Father took another step and Rolf pulled out a whistle.

"No wait!" Father said, unlocking the gate and starting towards him, put stopped. He had pulled a gun – a gun! – on Father. Shocked, I could barely see through the tears that were forming in my eyes.

"Maria. Children." Father made a motion with his hands and everyone started moving. Friedrich had to push me; I didn't want to leave. I didn't want to believe that Rolf, the nice boy who had approached me at lunch and gave me my first kiss, could turn into someone who would shot my father.

Climbing into the car in the alley below, I quickly tried to regain control, but couldn't. The sound of blowing whistles seemed so dim to my ears as Father hurried into the car and tore through Vienna into the country, toward the Swiss border.

What seemed like days later, but was really only hours later, at daybreak, Father pulled the car over. It appeared as though the sun was trying to peek over the mountains we were near, but it was shaping up to be a cloudy day. I quickly wiped the tears from face that had been falling. Turning to all of us, Father cleared his throat, while trying to gently shake Brigitta awake.

"Liesl?" Mother had turned towards the window to look at back at me and was whispering softly.

"I'll be fine, Mother." I told her, without looking her in the eyes. "Part of the adventure, right?" I could hear her sigh, but chose not to respond and instead roughly shook Brigitta who was leaning against me.

"Liesl." Father's sharp voice also helped to wake her up. "Children, you were very good in the Abbey and your mother and I understand how scared you all must be. But this is part of the real world and sometimes plans change."

"Where are we?" Louisa asked.

"Türnitz. Maria will travel into town with a few of you and gather some supplies for the rest of the journey. We will be traveling to Innsbruck and from there crossing the mountains into Swiss territory and travel by foot to Zürich. It is our plan from Zurich to find passage to America." A few of the children were able to "oh" and "ah" properly over the idea, but Father's stern look quickly quieted them. "We have very distant relatives in the state of Vermont, who I was fortunate enough to contact before any real trouble started. They have offered us sanctuary at their farm."

"Father, how will we learn English?" Marta asked fretfully.

"We will cross that bridge when we arrive at it, Marta." Mother said gently. "Now, I'll take Friedrich, Louisa, and Brigitta with me into town. The rest of your close your eyes and try to get some more rest. It will be a trying journey ahead of us."

Mother was right – the journey took the most out of us, but somehow also gave us the best. The gravity of the situation encouraged Louisa and Friedrich to get along and saw Marta and Gretl begin to depend on themselves versus one of their older siblings all along. Mother and Father gave Friedrich and I more of a say in the choices taken, encouraging us to share information that we gathered from the area to help make more informed decisions.

Thinking over everything that happened in the last months seemed almost too much as we waited in Zurich for things to come together, but it was all I seemed to be able to do. I was terrified that perhaps I had said something to Rolf about our relatives and he would tell someone or that when we went to land in America, they would not let us all through. But thinking on the past, I realized, was not going to help anything or change anything that had happened to me or my family. I had lost a mother and gained another; I had lost a father, but found him again. Through it all, my siblings and I had clung to each other and realized we were stronger as seven then as just one.

The trip to America was anything but pleasant, it seemed. Once in Zürich, we adopted other names to travel under and travelled through France to the English Channel, where we sailed to Portugal and departed for America from Lisbon. The ship over on both trips was crowded and loud, but it left me little time for my thoughts, which I was grateful for.

We reached Vermont and assimilated with varying degrees of success. Marta and Brigitta were teased for their accents for a while and Gretl thrived. Kurt found that his culinary cravings in Austria gave him a new path here in America; he learned how to cook all his favorite foods on his own. Louisa, Friedrich, and I hung on for the ride, depending on each other as we had always done, learning from each other and finding that the songs we had learned as children helped everyone through. Father and Mother learned the language and taught us to respect the American culture, but remember our Austrian roots, which they upheld until this very day.

* * *

"And that's how we ended up here." Liesl finished with a shrug, looking at Louisa. "Did I leave anything out?"

"Nope, I think that covers everything. I try not to remember the festival." Louisa said, hugging Jessica.

"I try not to remember Rolf very much. That's honestly the first time I've thought of him in ages; I wonder what ever happened to him."

"We could Google him, Grand mummy!" Amanda suggested.

"How about we don't, Amanda." Liesl laughed. "Let the past rest in the past."

"He sounds awful." Jessica shivered.

"He wasn't." Louisa said. "What you girls don't understand is that some people weren't offered much of a choice."

"He didn't have a father to lead him, like we did." Liesl said, realizing that after all the years that had passed, she truly had learned to forgive him for blowing the whistle. "His family needed to be protected somehow and he thought he was doing the best thing for his mother and sister, just like Father thought he did the right thing for us."

Everyone sat in silence for a few moments, absorbing the facts that Liesl had just shared.

"Come on girls, I'll drive you home." Louisa stood up. "Dinner tonight? Kurt said he would make _Wiener schnitzel_ tonight."

"Good. Mother could use some comfort food – we'll pick you up at 6?" Liesl said, standing, feeling her knees pop slightly. Vermont winters would soon be catching up with her, she thought.

"Fine. I'll make some strudel this afternoon. Ready ladies?" Louisa walked into the hallway, where her great-nieces waited.

Dinner that evening was a von-Trapp affair. The children made an effort to get together Sunday nights, just them and Mother. They reminisced and sang and spoke the language, laughing just like the morning Uncle Max took them to the festival house.

The next morning, Liesl woke at seven, as always, expecting to hear the tea kettle whistling, as Maria bustled through the kitchen, making breakfast; even though she was no longer in need of a governess, Maria felt it was necessary to mother her.

But the kettle wasn't whistling and the kitchen was empty; John had already left for work, traveling to Burlington every Monday for regional meetings. Knocking on the door that led to Maria's room, Liesl felt a slight fear creep into her heart; she knew the feeling well.

"Mother?" No response. "Mother, are you awake?" When there was still no response, Liesl cracked the door open to find Maria lying peacefully on her bed. Closing the door, Liesl walked over to the table that sat just inside the office and reached for the phone, dialing. "Lou?" Liesl said, choking on the childhood nickname. "Mother…Mother…she's gone home to the mountains, Lou."

* * *

Final Author's Note: Wow. It only took me six and a half years to get here. I'm very sorry for the delay - life just got in the way. Because of this experience, I've made a promise to myself to not publish a multi-chapter story until it's finished. I'm going to take the time now to move into my new apartment next week, start my new job in a week and a half, and do some major edits on this and then republish it. To all of you who have been reviewing since the beginning, Aline Banhara, Shannah, and rjwritergirl - it was really for you three that I finished this story.

So enjoy and remember that the sound of music will always free your soul :-)


End file.
